Alia Ratio
by Lilyevansmrspotter
Summary: The Second Wizarding War is lost, and Voldemort has won. Hermione, in a desperate attempt to save herself and an unexpected protector, brings them into a world only read of in books. Soon, she finds herself swept up in another adventure with a group of dwarves, a hobbit, Gandalf the Grey, and none other than Draco Malfoy.
1. A New World

**A/N: Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter or Hobbit related. Everything you recognize belongs to J. , J.R.R. Tolkien, and Warner Brothers. Please read and review!**

* * *

Harry Potter was dead. Not physically, but mentally and spiritually. His soul was dead. Hermione watched in fascinated horror as Harry faced down Lord Voldemort. In the wee hours of morning, after Voldemort realized Harry Potter would not turn himself in, he had come into the midst of battle himself to search for the Boy-Who-Lived. Hermione listened to Harry and Voldemort speak with bated breath. Could what Harry said be true? Was he the true master of the Elder Wand? And as the first rays of dawn burst across the battlefield, they moved. Harry's Expelliarmus met the Killing Curse in the center of the circle the two had been prowling around. The Elder Wand spun in the air, towards the master it would not kill and Harry reached out and caught it. Voldemort's body fell back, his red eyes losing their malice as they stared unseeingly at the sky.

A pregnant pause filled the air. And for the first time that year, Hermione let herself hope. Hope for a better future without the Dark Lord breathing down their necks, a future were muggle-borns were accepted, a future without a war, but a home. And that was when the world turned on her. Harry's beautiful emerald green eyes flashed crimson as he dropped to his knees clutching his scar. His mouth let out an earth-shattering scream. Hermione's brain froze. This was not supposed to happen not when-

"Her-Hermione," Harry choked out. And his green eyes returned. Hermione stumble forward to him but someone pulled her back. She struggled in her captor's arms but they held her in an iron grip. "Hermione, I can't hold," Harry screamed again, his eyes screwed shut. "I'm…horcrux…He's not…d-dead!"

Hermione struggled harder. She turned to see none other than Draco Malfoy holding her back. She fought with renewed strength. "Let. Me. Go. You. Bastard." She snarled. But before she could do anything, Harry spoke again.

"He's good, 'Mione." Harry grunted. Then he looked straight into Malfoy's eyes. "Take care of her." His green eyes flickered red once more before returning to their pain filled green. "Run."

And with that he closed his eyes resignedly. When they opened again, they were red.

Harry's lips twisted into an evil sneer as he picked himself off the floor, twirling the Elder Wand between his fingers, regarding it like a child would look at a new toy. He cocked his head at the crowd. Wondering. But this was not Harry, Hermione realized.

"Voldemort," she whispered, giving up fighting and standing limply in Malfoy's arms. Her mind was numb.

A flash of green light quicker than anyone could anticipate, and Molly Weasley fell to the ground. Ron bellowed and started running towards Voldemort. A warning rose to Hermione's lips but before it left, another flash of green, and Ron fell. Dead. Once again the Great Hall had become sheer chaos. But amongst it, Voldemort slowly turned towards Hermione who could do nothing but stare numbly in Malfoy's arms. But Malfoy pushed her behind him.

"Save us," he muttered in her ear before he raised his wand shakily at Voldemort.

"Step aside, boy." Voldemort's clear high voice rang from Harry's lips. "I do not want to waste your magical blood. Step aside from Potter's mudblood."

Hermione's mind was reeling. Why was Malfoy protecting her? But more pressing matters were at hand. She shut down her inquisitive side and went into survival mode, but when she glanced around she felt bile rising in her throat as all around her, her friends were dying. She did the first thing she could think of. Muttering the spell and twisting her wand in a complicated spiral, she took Malfoy's hand and spun on the spot. The last sight she saw before the crushing blackness took her was Voldemort's fury filled eyes.

* * *

With a crack, they appeared in a forest. She quickly let go of Malfoy's hand and vomited onto the ground, emptying the meager contents of her stomach.

"Where the hell are we, Granger?" Malfoy asked worriedly as he rubbed her back. She didn't answer. For once, Hermione Granger didn't know the answers.

"Hermione?" She stared into Malfoy's gray eyes, surprised that he had called her by her first name. "Where are we?"

"I don't know." She whispered. Her eyes filled with tears. Everyone was dead. Harry. Ron. Ginny. Neville. Luna. Mrs. Weasley and countless others.

"But you apparated us! You can't apparate without determination, deliberation, or whatever the fuck you need! But you need to know where you're going!" Hermione could see he was starting to panic. "Where the bloody hell are we?"

Hermione closed her eyes. "I didn't apparate, Malfoy. You think apparition would have saved us? Harry's gone! The prophecy was fulfilled, and Harry died!" Her voice broke. "No where on Earth is safe for us anymore. Me, because I'm a mudblood and Harry Potter's best friend and you because you stood between me and Voldemort!"

"No where…on Earth." Malfoy whispered. "We're not on Earth?"

Hermione shook her head sadly, "The spell I used was called _Alia Ratio… _I found it in a book when I was researching horcruxes. A wizard discovered that there are other…worlds. Other dimensions. And so he designed a spell that would work like apparition, but it would open up a sort of portal to another world. He recorded his findings and tried it, I suppose. He disappeared. It's thought of by some, as Dark Magic, because it's a branch of magic that has no solid proof behind it and the only people who use it disappear. Once you're in another dimension, it's impossible to return. The spell is irreversible."

"Can't you just use the same spell and go back to earth?" Malfoy inquired hopefully.

Hermione shook her head. "No one has discovered how to decide where you're going. It's only to be use in dire situations, such as…"Her voice broke again, "Such as ours."

"So to sum it up, we're stuck in another world which we have no knowledge about whatsoever, and are expected to somehow restart our lives again?" Suddenly Malfoy's eyes got theatrically large. "House elves could be running the government here for all we know."

Hermione let out a watery chuckle. Then stopped abruptly. "Magic." She whispered and quickly drew her wand.

"Wingardium Leviosa." She pointed her wand at a rock. It floated in the air. She let out a sigh of relief. With magic everything would be much easier to handle. Hopefully.


	2. The Company of Thorin Oakenshield

**A/N: Same disclaimer as the previous chapter. Please read and review!**

* * *

The sky was getting dark quickly, and Malfoy and Hermione lit their wands.

"We should, err…go see if there's any civilization around here." Hermione stuttered.

Now that the heat of the battle had died down a bit, things got slightly awkward with Malfoy. Her head raced with questions. Why was he helping her? Why did Harry-She pushed all thoughts of him and her other fallen friends to the back of her mind. Later, she would let the grief come. But now, she had to first find a way to survive the night.

As they cautiously ventured into the dark forest, a flicker of flame caught her eye. "Malfoy," she whispered and tilted her head towards the fire in the distance. He nodded and they quietly crept closer. Three large trolls were gathered around the fire. A fence surrounding a couple ponies was there as well as-a small movement made her squint her eyes.

Something small was creeping towards the ponies. It straightened up and she could see that it was a man. A very small man. Malfoy prodded her shoulder and pointed to the little man. She nodded impatiently and crawled closer to see what he was doing. It seemed like he was trying to free the ponies by the way he tugged at the rope holding the fence together. When the ropes wouldn't give way, he crept towards the trolls. Hermione feared for the little man who couldn't have been taller than her chin as he tried to remove a crudely made knife from one of the trolls.

Suddenly, the troll reached behind him and scooped up the little man, and sneezed on him. Hermione let out a little gasp the man reminded her of a hobbit from the Lord of the Rings. Her favorite books growing up. The trolls squealed in shock and dropped him. Soon they were trying to catch the little man, who scuttled away, ducking between their legs. However one of the trolls caught hi and was dangling him upside down. Hermione couldn't stand to see him be eaten, so she stepped out from her hiding place. Before she could get the trolls' attention another man, though slightly taller, leapt from the bushes. He was holding a sword and slashed at the trolls' legs.

"Drop him!" he yelled.

"You what?" one of the trolls grunted.

"I said, 'Drop him'." His eyes glittered with a warning at the trolls. As if sensing another presence, his gaze flickered to Hermione, who still stood there, and his eyebrows frowned in confusion. He managed to look back in time for one of the trolls tossed the little man back at him.

A battle cry erupted from the bushes and other en burst forth, attacking the trolls. Hermione spotted the little man crawling and scurrying back towards the ponies. Hermione made up her mind and dashed to help. She faintly heard Malfoy hiss at her to get back, but she was already at the ponies. She pushed the little man aside and muttered, "Diffindo."

The ropes came apart and she opened the gate. Malfoy was now at her side and was about to pull her back into the bushes when one of the trolls grabbed her and the little man and held them by their arms and legs.

"Put your arms down," it snarled, "or we'll rip theirs off!"

"Bilbo!" the first man called and Hermione's eyes widened with shock. Bilbo…Baggins? Then that must mean the men were not men at all! They were the dwarves of Erebor! Her mind reeled once more. Middle-Earth? Was that where they had landed? But they were just a story, a figment of one brilliant author's imagination, weren't they?

While her mind was racing, she faintly heard Malfoy scream, "Put her down!"

But the dwarf, Hermione guessed was Thorin by his regal posture, stuck his sword in the ground with a frustrated expression. The others had no choice but to accept their leader's decision as they too threw down their weapons. She glared at Malfoy and he hurriedly stowed his wand.

Soon the trolls had stuffed them all into brown sacks tied at their necks. Hermione knew this part well. The trolls argued amongst themselves for so long until the sun rose and would turn them to stone. All they had to do was stall them.

"Wait!" Bilbo called out and struggled to his feet. "You are making a big mistake!"

"You can't reason with them!" a dwarf cried out. "Their halfwits!"

"Halfwits?" another answered. "What does that make us?"

The trolls gave him suspicious glares. "I mean with the sage. You'll need some stronger seasoning before you plate up this lot. I mean, have you smelled them?" The dwarves struggled and yelled insults at Bilbo for that.

"And what do you know about cooking dwarves?" a troll snarled. But the other troll waved it off.

"Let the flurburhobbit speak."

"The secret to cooking dwarves is…" he faltered, not knowing what to say. "Is…"

"Go on!" The troll stepped forward menacingly.

"Yes, I'm telling you! The secret to cooking dwarves is.."

"To skin them first!" Malfoy added in a helpful tone, but the dwarves started yelling at him and struggling in their sacks.

"Tom, get me fileting knife," the troll gestured. But the other troll impatiently picked up the fat dwarf Hermione guessed was Bombur and dangled him over his mouth.

"Wait!" she called out desperately.

"Not that one! He's…Infected!" Bilbo searched his brain for more ideas. "He's go worms in his..."

"Tubes!" Malfoy once again supplied.

"Yes!" Bilbo looked relieved. "In fact they're all infested. Terrible business. I wouldn't risk it, I really wouldn't."

Once again, the dwarves were shouting and struggling, until after a well-administered kick to one of their heads, they all caught on to Bilbo's plan and started yelling again, this time confirming his claims.

"What would you gave us do then? Let them all go?" The troll glared.

"Well…"

"You think I don't know what you're up to? These little ferrets are taking us for fools!"

"Ferret?" Malfoy screeched.

"Start with the woman!" The troll pointed at Hermione and she paled. Where was-?

"The dawn will take you all!" a tall figure stood on a rock, and slammed his staff onto the rock, which split. The rays of sunlight streamed through the crack. Immediately the trolls turned to stone as they tried to shield their eyes from the gleaming sun.

Quickly, Hermione and Malfoy cut through their sacks with muttered "diffindo"'s. Once she was free, Hermione made fast work of freeing the dwarves and Bilbo as well.

"And who might you be?" A deep voice said behind her. She turned around and excitement bubbled within her. Hermione met the twinkling blue eyes of Gandalf the Grey. But he also looked strikingly similar to another powerful wizard she knew.

"Professor Dumbledore!" Malfoy gasped next to her, looking skeptically at their old headmaster.

"Good day, Mr. Malfoy. I see you are looking far better than when we last met." Malfoy paled, remembering that night on the Astronomy Tower. He lowered his eyes quickly.

"Professor?" Hermione asked in disbelief.

"Hello, Ms. Granger. What an odd coincidence to see you and Mr. Malfoy standing before me."

"Why aren't you dead, sir?" Malfoy asked quietly.

"Before I answer you, you should know that I am known here as-"

"Gandalf." A deep voice said from behind him, Gandalf turned around met Thorin's intense stare. He then faced Hermione and Malfoy.

"Later, then," He winked good-naturedly at them before following Thorin, where only sent them a distrustful glare.

"What the hell, Granger?" Malfoy looked at her with slightly crazed eyes. "Why is Dumbledore here? He's supposed…I killed…Snape Killed him!"

"Your guess is as good as mine Malfoy," Hermione spat. "But…here he's called Gandalf the Grey."

"How do you know that?" Malfoy asked suspiciously.

"Well, if you had paid attention, you would have noticed Thorin calling him Gandalf not a minute ago."

"Thorin? Who? What?" Malfoy spluttered.

"I think we're in Middle earth…" Hermione bit her lip nervously.

"Where the hell is Middle Earth?" Malfoy was still utterly confused.

"Middle Earth…Middle Earth. Haven't you read the Hobbit or the Lord of the Rings? No, I suppose you haven't. It is quite a muggle story." She mused.

Before Malfoy could open his mouth, Dumbledore…err Gandalf called them over.

"My Malfoy, Ms. Granger, May I introduce you to the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield?" Hermione felt the urge to shudder as Thorin scanned them over with icy blue eyes.

"Thorin, this is Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy. Where were past students of mine." Gandalf's eyes twinkled merrily.

"Ms. Granger, am I correct to assume you have read…books on Middle Earth?"

"Yes, sir." Hermione nodded.

"Good, then you and Mr. Malfoy can make yourselves useful." Gandalf looked them over with an approving smile.

"Sir, our arrival was not mentioned in any of the books. Would it be dangerous to…change the outcome?" Hermione wondered.

"My dear, your situation is not as severe as time travel." Gandalf said kindly. "I trust that whatever you with to alter will only be helpful towards this quest. However, I must ask you not to interfere too much. There are valuable lessons that must be learned on all stages of this quest. By everyone."

"Yes, sir." Hermione nodded.

"Can someone tell me what the bloody hell is going on?" Malfoy asked tensely.

"It means, Mr. Malfoy, that you will be donating your skills for the benefit of this quest." Gandalf said simply.

"Gandalf," Thorin's deep timbre interrupted. "This is my quest. How do I know these people can be trusted?"

"These two are highly talented witches and wizards," Thorin's eyes widened a small bit in surprise. "I trained them myself. To not trust them would be to not trust me."

"Prove it." Thorin commanded.

Hermione rolled her eyes. By now, the other dwarves were standing around and ogling the two newcomers. "Petrificus Totalus!" She lazily waved her wand at Malfoy.

The others let out yells of shock as Malfoy suddenly tipped over, as stiff as a board. Hermione smiled cheekily at him as he glared up at her accusingly.

"What have you done?" Thorin snarled. "You would harm your own friend?"

"First of all, Master Dwarf, he is not my friend. Second," She waved her wand over Malfoy and lifted the hex. He stood up quickly, adjusting his robes importantly.

"I will get you back for tat, Granger," he hissed threateningly in her ear.

"Is that enough proof for you, Thorin Oakenshield?" Gandalf chortled.

"Fine." Thorin glared. "Balin, give them the contract."

Hermione signed the contract without a second thought after glancing it over. Malfoy, however was scrutinizing ever word. "Laceration? Evisceration? Incineration? Just what exactly is this quest about?"

"A quest, Master Malfoy to reclaim a homeland. And slay a dragon."

"Like…my name sake, dragon? A dragon." Malfoy paled.

"Afraid, ferret?" Hermione taunted.

"No," Malfoy muttered and signed the contract. "Don't forget it was I who stood between you and dear Tom Riddle."

Hermione's lips thinned. She had tried to push all thoughts of…Earth away from the center of her mind. The pain came back full force and her eyes clouded with tears.

Gandalf noticed the sorrowful look on her face, and sharply rapped Malfoy on the head with his staff. "Perhaps we should continue and search for this troll cave."

Thorin gave them one more calculating look before turning away.

"Perhaps you should tell me the conditions of your arrival." Gandalf asked somberly.

"Harry…he's dead." Hermione could no longer hold the tears back. Her breath came out in ragged gasps. Surprisingly Malfoy placed a comforting hand on the small of her back.

Gandalf's blue eyes glistened with tears as well. "He was a horcrux as well?" suddenly his powerful demeanor collapsed and his shoulder drooped. "And what of you, Mr. Malfoy? The last I remember, you and Ms. Granger were on less than friendly terms."

Hermione quieted her sniffles. This was something she wanted to know as well.

"At the Manor, when Bellatrix…she asked me to identify Potter, Granger, and Weasley. And I could have. One word from me, and Potter would've been dead. But then…I remembered what you said. That night on the Astronomy Tower. That I wasn't a murderer. I didn't believe you. Until that moment. So I lied. And I talked to Potter when we were dueling. I let Dobby in through the Manor's wards. And I believed you, Professor. I wanted to be good. So I became a spy for Potter." Malfoy finished thoughtfully.

More tears gathered in Hermione's eyes. It was Malfoy who had saved them at the Manor. Malfoy who saved her. She threw herself into his arms, sobbing. Malfoy looked terrified as he awkwardly patted her back. Gandalf proudly. "Well done, Draco. Well done."

Hermione sniffled and stepped back. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Gandalf!" Thorin called from the trees ad the three were jerked out of their trance and scurried into the forest.

Hermione found herself walking next to Fili and Kili, the heirs to Thorin's throne.

"Mistress Granger," Fili began.

"Are you really a great sorceress that can entrance even the most foolhardy dwarves under one of your spells?" Kili finished with wide eyes.

Hermione smirked. These two reminded her of the Weasley twins. "Yes."

"Can you really? Can you show us?" Kili asked eagerly. He was rather tall for a dwarf or she was simply short, Hermione noted, she was only about an inch or so taller than him.

She smirked again. Hermione pointed her wand towards Draco and gave it a little flick of her wrist. Draco let out a noise of surprise and transfigured into a ferret. He gave a squeak of protest and Fili, Kili, and a few nearby dwarves let out great big guffaws of laughter.

She let out a tinkling laugh and transfigured him back.

"Bloody hell, woman! Will you stop using me as your bloody puppet to amuse this lot of hairy dwarves!" he roared. His eyes glinted dangerously.

Hermione laughed, unconcernedly. "Come on, Ferret, can't you take a joke?"

Malfoy growled angrily and took a step menacingly in her direction. Kili and Fili hurriedly stepped between them.

"Come, Master Ferret, the lady was only demonstrating her great powers." Kili grinned.

Malfoy narrowed his eyes, huffed and turned back around. "Bloody Gryffindor. You should be in Slytherin for your…" he muttered, his voice trailing off as he continued ranting under his breath.

"What is a Gryffindor?" Fili asked curiously.

Hermione spent the rest of the trip explaining cheerfully all the wonderful aspects of Hogwarts.

"-and the library!" her eyes lit up at the mention of her precious books.

Hermione glanced at Malfoy who was now walking next to her. "Couldn't stay away from me could you?" She teased lightly.

"I promised Potter I'd protect you." He murmured. Not quiet meeting her eyes.

"And why would you think I need protecting?" she asked with an affronted air. "I'm just surprised you've stopped calling me a filthy little mudblood to be honest."

"I don't believe in that, you know I don't." Malfoy frowned.

Hermione tilted her head pensively. This new Malfoy baffled her, but as she met his grey eyes that once held nothing but contempt when looking at her, and found that they were just as scared and haunted as hers were, she found herself beginning to believe him.


	3. Running to Rivendell

**A/N: Everything you recognize does not belong to me. Please read and review!**

* * *

It was the stench that first alerted Hermione they were approaching the troll cave. She knew this part of the story well, and decided to stay and wait outside the cave while Gandalf and Thorin found their swords.

Hermione walked towards Ori and sat beside him. He blushed but continued sketching in his sketchpad. Hermione enjoyed the silence and was content to just watch.

Malfoy, to her amusement, had entered the cave, regardless of the smell. When he came out he grinned devilishly.

"Did you see all the gold in there?" He asked.

"I knew about it , yes." Hermione answered briskly. Out of the corner of her eye she watched Gandalf hand Bilbo _Sting_. "Did you take any gold?"

"Well…" Malfoy hesitated.

"Put it back, Malfoy. I know it'll take some adjusting, but you aren't the filthy rich Pureblood here anymore."

Malfoy scowled and emptied his pockets of the gold coins he had taken.

The leaves rustled, and the dwarves quickly formed their defensive ranks. Malfoy pushed Hermione to the center, despite her protests that she wasn't in danger.

The rabbits pulling a sleigh burst forth and Gandalf relaxed. "Radagast! Radagast the Brown."

* * *

Draco's eye twitched and he nudged Hermione again. Dumbledore, or Gandalf, was currently talking to the newest "wizard" who had pulled a stick insect…out of his mouth!

"What?!" Granger hissed at him.

"He's got bird poo on his face." Draco complained.

"Get used to it," she snapped. "He's going to save us."

It unnerved him how much she knew. "Save us from…what?"

A how ripped through the air.

"Are there wolves around here?" Bilbo, the midget man asked nervously.

The dwarf in the weird hat answered, "Wolf, no that is not a wolf."

Draco pulled out his wand right as a giant wolf-like creature leapt onto the rocks before them. The dwarves quickly shot it down and Granger shot a nicely aimed stunner at its eye.

Gandalf was furious. "Who did you tell about this quest besides your kin?"

"No one!" Thorin answered.

"Who did you tell?" Gandalf roared.

"No one, I swear!" Thorin insisted. "What in Durin's name is going on?"

"You are being hunted." Was all Gandalf said.

Hunted? Draco thought. Hunted by more of these…things? He glanced at Granger who had an unreadable expression on her face as she retied her shoelaces and safely stowed her beaded bag in her pocket. She looked like she was preparing to-

"RUN!" Gandalf yelled. And they bolted.

Draco's long strides overtook the dwarves', but he slowed a little to pull at Hermione who was lagging behind.

The crazy wizard whom Gandalf had called Radagast had shot off and was currently distracting the…things that were chasing them. Draco said a silent prayer of thanks to the queer wizard.

Gandalf pulled them behind a rock, gave them a moment of rest and they bolted again. Draco could tell Hermione was getting tired by the way her feet dragged and eyes drooped. He supposed that she hadn't slept in at least three or four days. Soon, the company's position was noticed by one of the wolves with a…sweet Merlin _what _was riding on it?

After the black haired dwarf shot it down, it gave a long painful howl and their position was given away. They ran as fast as they could, but soon the other wolves had surrounded them and Dumble-_Gandalf _had disappeared. The black haired dwarf was desperately trying to shoot them all, but there were just too many.

"P-protego!" Hermione gasped out from beside him.

The wolves ran straight into her shield, but Draco knew it wouldn't last long.

"This way, you fools!" Gandalf appeared once more in the rocks and the dwarves follow. But Hermione stayed put.

"Granger!" His voice leaked panic, much to his embarrassment.

She gestured for him to go as she struggled to hold her shield. The dwarves had almost all jumped into the hole when Hermione collapsed. Draco caught her as the wolves raced towards them. He jinxed one, but another replaced it just as quick. It bit Hermione's leg, and she cried out in pain. Draco slashed it with his wand using _Sectumsempra_. He grabbed Hermione and twisted on the spot concentrating on apparating them down the hole. The dwarves let out cries of shock as a sharp crack filled the air and Draco and Hermione appeared in their midst.

* * *

Hermione groaned after feeling the suffocating darkness of apparition. "Granger, wake up." Malfoy muttered, helping her stand up

Hermione winced when her leg gave a painful throb. A dwarf rushed to her side, Kili, Hermione noted, and helped her stand.

"There's a path!" on dwarf exclaimed. "Do we follow it?"

"Follow it of course!" Bofur called back and the rest of the dwarves trudged along the path. Hermione grit her teeth and limped after.

"I should have known better than to let a woman in out company," Thorin muttered as he shoved past her.

Before Hermione could retort about how she just saved his sorry life, she heard Malfoy's angry voice. "She was using a shield charm to save your ruddy arses! If it weren't for her you and your hairy companions would have been eaten long ago!"

Thorin said nothing as he stomped angrily after the company. "Is that true?" Kili asked Malfoy as they helped Hermione hobble along.

"I suppose," Hermione answered before Malfoy could. "It was simple really. I-I'm sorry if Thorin's mad."

"Bloody Gryffindor," Malfoy murmured.

"Yes, that's why I did it," Hermione murmured back.

"Thank you." Kili said with utmost sincerity.

Hermione chuckled at the dwarf. He and his brother reminded her so much of her dear Weasley twins, but here he was, showing a sincere side and helping her walk, when his brethren all but ignored her. He truly was an interesting dwarf.

The narrow valley led them to a ledge on the rock face where Hermione let out a gasp. She had read about the beauty and elegance of the elven city, but being there, seeing the gracefulness of the architecture took her breath away. Even Malfoy raised his pale eyebrows at the beautiful city.

When they arrived at the front gate, Gandalf stepped forward and exchanged a few words in elvish with the elf that came to greet them.

"I wish to speak with Lord Elrond," Gandalf requested in the normal tongue.

"I am afraid my Lord Elrond is not here right now." The elf replied.

Hermione jumped a little when horns sounded and horses thundered towards them.

"Close ranks!" Thorin commanded. Kili shoved Hermione in the center of their group and drew his sword.

Elrond descended from his horse and greeted Gandalf warmly.

Gandalf introduced Elrond to Thorin who regarded him with distrustful eyes, his hate towards elves evident.

"Welcome Thorin, son of Thrain." Elrond acknowledged.

"I do not believe we have met," Thorin refusing to greet the elf made Hermione roll her eyes.

"You have your grandfather's bearing. I knew Thror when he ruled under the mountain."

"Indeed, he made no mention of you." Thorin responded rather rudely.

Elrond said something in elvish and the dwarves bristled immediately. "What is he saying?" Gloin steeped forward. "Does he offer us insult?"

"No, Master Gloin, he is offering you food." The dwarves turned around to discuss this offer.

"Well, in that case, lead on."

The second they sat down, Hermione felt her shoulders sag. She sat with Kili on her right and Malfoy on her left. Hesitantly she pulled her pant leg up and winced when she saw the puncture marks in her leg from the warg's teeth.

"What were those things?" Malfoy demanded when he laid eyes on her wound.

"Wargs," she said tensely as she _accioed _Essence of Dittany from her beaded bag. After cleaning the wound, she sprinkled a few drops of the Dittany on her leg. A soft hiss escaped her teeth when the potion stung her skin.

Kili turned around at the noise of pain coming from her lips and watched as Hermione tended her wound. "You should let Oin take a look at that," he advised.

"No, I will be fine after this." Hermione insisted. She pulled out her wand and began murmuring a spell. Kili watched with wide eyes as the wound resealed itself.

"Wh-how?" He wondered.

Hermione looked up at him with amused eyes and waggled her eyebrows at him. "Magic."


	4. Storytelling

**A/N: Everything you recognize does not belong to me. Please read and review!**

* * *

Later, they gathered around a campfire and Hermione sat and stared pensively at the flames while the dwarves were being their usually rowdy selves. Kili and Fili plopped on either side of her.

"Can you tell us more about your home?" Kili asked. "Like how you came to Middle Earth?"

They had guessed that Hermione and her blonde companion were not of this world by the way they spoke of their magical school and homeland. Thorin had taught Fili and Kili much about Middle Earth and it's surrounding lands, but they have never heard of a place called Scotland, nor Hogwarts.

Hermione hesitated. She knew that once she began her tale, her emotions would become uncontrollable. But she felt that this was something she needed to move on from. Her eyes flickered to Draco who had a stoic look on his face as he stared back.

"Come, Master Dwarves," Hermione began. "Let me tell you a story."

Other dwarves had gathered around curiously when they heard that she would be telling a story.

"It begins, I suppose with a boy. This boy grew up in a Muggle, that means non-magic, orphanage. His father had rejected him and his mother before he was born, and his mother had died giving birth to him. But not before she gave him a name. His name was Tom Marvolo Riddle.

Tom Riddle grew up and discovered that he was different from the other children. He could do things that no one could explain. He hurt and scared the other children. The when he was eleven, a wizard named Albus Dumbledore came and whisked him off to a magical school, where he saw that it was quite normal to be different. He learned all sorts of magic, and lapped all the knowledge up hungrily. But soon he began to delve into the branches of Dark Magic. Before he graduated, he had already tortured, murdered, and instilled much fear amongst some of the students. He began his conquest of immortality by creating horcruxes. To make a horcrux you must split your soul and place it into an object, thus if your body is killed, your soul will survive.

After he graduated, Tom Riddle disappeared and became Lord Voldemort. He gathered himself followers name Death Eaters who wanted to bring the _pure-blooded_ witches and wizards out of hiding, and enslave and kill all the non-magic folk, mudbloods." Hermione spat and rolled up her sleeve revealing the word carved crudely into her arm.

"He steadily grew in power and everyone feared him. He could not be stopped. And then, another boy was born," Hermione's eyes softened. "His name, was Harry Potter."

"Voldemort heard of a prophecy foretelling that his baby boy would have the power to defeat him. So when Harry was just a little older than one year old, Voldemort hunted him down to kill him. He started with Harry's dad. Voldemort gave Harry's mum the chance to step aside, to live, but she refused. And when Lily Potter sacrificed herself for her son, she gave him a protection that ran within him, ensuring that Voldemort would not be able to touch him." Hermione saw out of the corner of her eyes that Thorin, Balin, and Bilbo had returned from their talk with Elrond.

"But because of his horcruxes, Voldemort didn't die when his Killing Curse rebounded. He simply was too weak to carry on. Baby Harry was sent to live with his aunt and uncle who were cruel and mistreated him, until on _his_ eleventh birthday, a giant named Hagrid introduced Harry to the magical world of his parents. Here Harry was famous, here he was the Boy-Who-Lived." She declared.

"At Hogwarts, Harry befriended the ginger haired boy who loved sweets and Wizard's Chess, Ron. And a bushy haired girl who always had her nose stuck in a book, me." She small smile danced across her lips.

"He chose these two misfits over any rich, popular, pure-blood when they also offered their friendship," She eyed Malfoy who had a grumpy look on his face. "Like Draco Malfoy."

Some dwarves glanced at Malfoy's red face and chortled a bit, then refocused their attention on Hermione. "So the three friends got themselves into all sorts of trouble. They faced three-headed dogs, giant chess sets, deadly potions, Voldemort himself latched onto the back of a professors head in their first year."

"In their second year, Harry bravely battled a basilisk which can kill you the instant you look into its eyes to save Ginny, Ron's little sister, and the future love of Harry's life."

"In our third year, Harry discovered that he had a godfather, and we traveled back in time to save a hippogriff and Sirius, Harry's godfather. But the man who betrayed Harry's parents to Voldemort had escaped."

"All this time, we had heard of Voldemort, battled some bits of his soul and memory, but his presence was never really real. That all changed in our fourth year. He found a way to come back, and then, the danger became _very_ real."

"Our fifth year was filled with teenage rebellion. The ministry was too cowardly to admit to the wizarding world that their greatest fears had returned, so they denied everything and passed Harry off as a liar." Hermione continued angrily. "We gathered together a teenage group and Harry taught us what it was like to truly face Voldemort. Sirius died that year, he was killed by his own cousin."

"In sixth year, Dumbledore revealed the key to truly defeating Voldemort. We had to destroy his horcruxes. Harry and Dumbledore tried to find one, but Dumbledore…died." Hermione shot a quick glance towards Malfoy and found him staring into the fire with a guilty look on his face. She decided not to linger on this topic and continued hastily.

"And finally, in what would have been our seventh year, Harry, Ron, and I left Hogwarts to search for the horcruxes and to destroy them. Evil threatened to tear us apart, and it nearly did. But our friendship and love for one another overcame these boundaries. We found and destroyed one horcrux before we were captured and taken to Malfoy Manor." The air was quiet and everyone turned towards Malfoy, who steadily met Hermione's eyes.

* * *

"I'm not proud of what happened." His voice scratched against his throat and his eyes were indeed filled with regret. "They took the three to my house and my aunt, who was bloodthirsty and mad, had me identify them. I was a Death Eater and in my sixth year was given the task of murdering Dumbledore. I couldn't do it. He was right, Dumbledore, I am no murderer. So when they brought these three in front of me I said I did not recognize them. Which was a lie of course, anyone who had two eyes could see that it was obviously Potter and his two lackeys. But they tortured Hermione." Draco closed his eyes letting the image of her lying on the ground at Bellatrix's feet burn into his eyelids. Her screams were filling his ears and ripping at his eardrums.

"None of you know the pain that can be inflicted at one word. Like knives slicing at your flesh, but not being about to bleed. Being burned without catching fire. And they did it to her. Over and over. Enough to make any grown wizard lose their sanity ten times over. And I could do nothing to stop it." Malfoy spat bitterly.

The dwarves listened with wide eyes to what these two young humans, who were barely of age, recount the horrors of what life had brought upon them. Even Thorin listened to their bitter retellings with fervor.

* * *

"But you did save me." Hermione whispered to Malfoy. "Draco let a house-elf by the name Dobby into the manor, and Dobby saved us. But not before Bellatrix threw her silver dagger and killed him." Hermione felt the tears rising up within her.

"We found one more horcrux and again, barely escaped. This time on the back of a dragon." The dwarves shifted in their seats at the mention of the dragon.

"The final horcrux was at Hogwarts. When we got there, Voldemort knew, and his armies now marched upon Hogwarts. This was the Final Battle. Harry made his stand against Voldemort. We thought that all his Horcruxes had been destroyed, but we were wrong. That night when Voldemort sought out Baby Harry and tried to kill him, a piece of his soul latched itself onto Harry's body. He killed Ron." Hermione's voice broke and now tears were streaming down her face.

"He turned on me," she whispered and shuddered involuntarily as those hate filled eyes that were Harry's but were so different, burned itself into her mind. Kili placed his arm around her comfortingly as she struggled to continue telling her tale. But she couldn't as heart-wrenching sobs tore through her as all her repressed memories came back to her. She felt like she was drowning in a sea of grief, as waves constantly knocked her over, dragging her down, choking her.

The dwarves were silent. The girl who was naught but a child had endured so much pain and had witnessed too much death. And yet she remained strong, helping them and protecting them when they had run from the orcs.

"That's why I'm helping you lot." Hermione addressed the dwarves. "Because you have lost so much as well, your home. No one should lose their home and family. Their sense of belonging. Like me and Draco here I s'pose."

"You will have a home with us," Bofur said comfortingly. "Mahal knows you, out of all of us deserve it the most."

No one disagreed. "Aye, lass," Balin smiled at her.

Hermione sniffled and nodded her head gratefully. But she was fighting a fierce battle within herself. Who was she to live in such luxury, when her friends had died bravely defending a cause they knew was hopeless, especially in those last few moments. Yet they fought, and Hermione, all she had done was run. Like a coward.

"Granger," Malfoy's voice cut through her mental self-loathing. "Don't overthink it. Potter and Weasley would have wanted this for you. You do deserve it, regardless of what you think."

With thoughts and memories swimming in her mind, the fire crackling warmly, and Kil's arm still wrapped around her shoulders, she drifted off into a fitful sleep.


	5. Of Nightmares and Stone Giants

That night, Hermione dreamed of Harry. They were standing in front of the lake, Hogwarts stood majestically behind them in its full glory, and the air was warm and inviting. Harry stood with his back to her, staring out at the lake, watching the Giant Squid bask lazily in the sun. All she could see of him however, was his messy black hair.

Hermione started forward excitedly, _she was going to talk to Harry again! _There was so much she wanted to tell him. She wanted to rant about how she was transported to Middle Earth, complain half-heartedly about being stuck with Malfoy of all people, but most of all, Hermione wanted to apologize to him. If she had only acted on her suspicions, Harry wouldn't be dead.

However, Harry had not turned around, he hadn't even said anything. Hermione paused in her steps, something didn't feel right about him. Her heart dropped to her stomach, she'd had this same feeling when…Voldemort.

Harry finally pivoted on the spot. Hermione wanted to scream. His eyes were crimson.

Her heart began to pound erratically in her chest. This was just a dream, Voldemort couldn't hurt here.

"Oh, but I can," his cold voice responded, as if being able to read her mind. Which, Hermione noted with horror, he probably could. She struggled to construct her occlumency shields, but as Harry had complained so often of during their fifth year, her mind refused to go blank.

"You may have escaped me, you filthy mudblood, but your friends didn't." Voldemort hissed. "Tell me, what did you expect me to do with them? Spare them?" He let out a cruel laugh. "I tortured them, I caused them so much pain that they _begged_ for death. And the merciful Lord I am, I obliged. I killed them, Mudblood. Would you like to see?"

Suddenly they weren't in front of the Lake, Hermione saw the Great Hall, and she watched Harry collapse in pain, she had seen this all before, and by Merlin did _not _need to see it again. She witnessed Ron's death once more. Neville had sacrificed himself to kill Nagini, but before he could chop her head off, she bit him in the neck. Dolohov sent crucio after crucio at Luna who was laying on the ground, begging for him to stop. A flash of green, and she too was dead. Ginny was screaming in outrage and abandoning magic, she leapt at him and wrapped her tiny hands around his neck. Greyback tore her off Dolohov and dragged her screeching, crying form out of the Great Hall.

So many bodies lay unmoving on the ground. Hermione looked around with wide horrified eyes as she spotted Lupin and Tonks lying side by side, and George had fallen, trying to protect his twin's body. Kingsley and McGonagall were fighting Voldemort side by side, but with two flashes of purple light, both fell clutching at their bleeding wounds, until they too were dead.

"Stop! Stop!" Hermione was screaming with tears falling like waterfalls down her cheeks. She fell to her knees in the center of the Great Hall, and kneeled as if in prayer for her lost friends, or the ones who had survived and would have to live under this…this monster.

"You see what your friends have suffered? Do you feel their pain?" Voldemort cackled in her ear. "And what did you do? You ran. You're a mudblood and a coward."

"No," Hermione muttered to herself. "No."

"Granger."

"Go away!" She shrieked.

"Granger." But this voice was not malicious, it was kind and held a tinge of worry. "Granger, wake up."

Hermione's eyes flew open. Malfoy hovered over her and his hand rested on her shoulder. She blearily rubbed her eyes and noticed that it was still quite dark, but with dawn on its way. Soft snoring came from all around the dying fire. Hermione glanced around her and noticed Kili and Fili sleeping on both sides of her.

"What happened, Malfoy?" She whispered, careful not to disturb the sleeping dwarves.

"You were having a nightmare," he slowly whispered back. "You were whimpering and crying in your sleep."

"Oh," Hermione's cheeks burned. "I…I dreamed of _him_."

Her dream flashed before her eyes. So much death. "I saw what happened after we…left. And they're all dead. All of them."

Malfoy looked at her with pitying eyes. The pride in Hermione made her raise her chin defiantly, as if daring him to voice his pity. "We're leaving tomorrow. Or today, at the break of dawn." He changed the topic much to her relief. "You should probably get cleaned up."

Hermione frowned and touched her cheeks. Sure enough, there were tear tracks dried onto her cheeks. Murmuring a few spells, Hermione cleaned herself up, braided her hair, and packed everything into her beaded bag.

Kili let out a soft grunt and rolled over in his sleep. She smiled softly, and a little sadly. Kili and Fili had grown on her since her short arrival here. They had such an eagerness to please Thorin as they bravely fought the trolls and orcs. Yet their ability to laugh and joke reminded her of Fred and George. Suddenly, Kili opened his dark onyx eyes and they locked on hers with such an intense look. But it left almost as soon as it came, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled.

"Watching me sleep, My Lady?" he drawled.

"Of course not," Hermione answered briskly, annoyed at the light blush that spread across her cheeks. "I was merely observing the dwarves. It is coincidence only that you happened to waken as my gaze passed over you."

"Indeed," Kili replied sarcastically. "What, may I ask, did you observe?"

"You have dirt on your nose, did you know? Just there." Hermione pointed to a smudge of dirt that trailed across his nose. She smiled to herself sadly, remembering that day when she had first met Ron and Harry aboard the Hogwarts Express.

Kili noticed her saddened wistful eyes, and felt compelled to comfort her. For reasons completely unknown to either of them. "I cannot honestly say I know how you feel," He began. "Nor do I sense that you want my pity."

Hermione glanced gratefully at him at the comment. "But I lost my father when I was young. I don't remember much, but I knew he died hoping for a better life for Fili, my mother, and I. Your friends perished for a noble and worthy cause. Remember that." Kili finished.

Hermione was touched. For once, someone was not offering her pity, which to be honest, she was rather tired of. But here was a dwarf who told her that he didn't understand, but knew to say exactly what she needed.

"Thanks," was all she could bring herself to say.

"Now, no more crying, eh my lady? Come let us wake my dear brother." Kili's serious gaze was replaced with a mischievous twinkle.

He bent over his brother and motioned for Hermione to do the same. She thought it was a rather old practical joke, but agreed that it would be very comical indeed. She leaned forward until her face was mere inches away from Fili's.

"Fili," she crooned, tugging at one of his beard braids.

His head twitched but he did not awaken, a true sign of how exhausted he was. "Fili," Kili leaned closer as well. He tugged on Fili's other braid.

Fili's eyes flew open in shock and he jerked his head up, smashing his forehead onto Kili and Hermione's. The two lurched back in pain and moaned as they felt their heads gingerly. A snort sounded from behind them, and Hermione spun around to see Malfoy smirking at her. She raised her wand threateningly at him, and let an amused smirk creep onto her face as well as he lifted his hands complacently.

"Enough with your foolishness," Thorin's voice cut through their mirth. "We must leave quickly and _quietly,_ so as to not rouse the suspicions of the elves."

Hermione fought the urge to roll her eyes. Thorin could be a right killjoy sometimes.

"You heard uncle," Fili teased Kili who still rubbed his sore forehead. "Enough with this foolishness. It'll take a lot more than your ugly mugs in my face in the morning to rattle me." He crowed.

Kili scowled. "My face is not ugly. Ask Lady Hermione, for she was 'observing' it very intently this morning."

The air got awkward and Hermione's cheeks flamed. Well, now that the whole company knew about her wandering eyes…

"Was she now?" Fili looked at her bright red face in amusement.

"To tell you about the dirt on your face," Hermione retorted. She still couldn't get the blasted blush to leave her cheeks.

"Fili! Kili!" Thorin snapped. "Smother the fire and cover all traces of us being here." The elves, of course, knew the dwarves were supposed to be where they were, but Hermione had the sneaking suspicion that Thorin just wanted his nephews away from her. Again, she fought the urge to roll her eyes.

She strolled over to Malfoy who watched with light amusement on his sharp features. "Sleep well?" She asked.

"Better than some," he replied, and Hermione saw the images of her dead friends flash beneath her eyelids once more.

"I don't want your pity, Malfoy," Hermione frowned at him.

Malfoy looked deeply offended. "My pity. My pity, Granger? Seriously? After all we went through, after all I revealed, you still believe me to be some spoiled pure-blood heir who is dishing out _pity _to peasants?"

"No," Hermione retorted hotly.

"In case you haven't noticed, Granger," Malfoy thundered on, "I'm stuck in just as much of a predicament as you! You didn't even consider for a moment there, that I left my mother and father behind. That I had lost friends as well? The war didn't only affect you, Granger. Quit being so selfish!"

Hermione was rendered speechless. _Stupid, stupid girl!_ She berated herself. She had let her pride run wild, and had forgotten that she was not the only one to have lost great amounts. She had refused what she had conceived as pity from Malfoy, when in reality, he was the only one to really understand the empty feeling within her.

"I-I'm sorry," she stammered out.

"Save it," he hissed. "I don't need your _pity_." And with that he promptly stomped away.

The company quietly crept out of Rivendell and returned to the path. Hermione saw Bilbo turn around to get one last glimpse of Rivendell. Thorin told him to continue walking, and Bilbo gloomily turned away from the Last Homely House. Hermione placed her hand on his shoulder reassuringly.

"You will return to Rivendell one day," she told him kindly.

Bilbo blinked up at her and gave her a sad little smile. "I hope so."

They continued the rest of the day trekking across barren lands. Hermione was sure that the landscape would have been quite breathtaking, if only she had breath left. She soon learned that dwarves could travel vast amounts of distance in very small amounts of time, if they wanted to. Since learning about their deadline of Durin's Day, Thorin pushed the company even harder. No one spoke, except for the vague comment once in a while that was never returned.

And then it began to rain.

Bugger, Hermione grumbled. She was shivering violently and wished that she hadn't stowed her wand away for safekeeping while they were running. The group shuffled along the thin edge of the mountain as Hermione would've given anything to have a fire to warm and dry her. Lightning struck and a large boulder crashed above their heads. And so the thunder battle began.

Hermione screamed when the mountain split the group in two. She saw Fili on the other side gesture wildly towards Kili who was on the other leg with her. She clung desperately to the rocks, and could've sworn she heard Malfoy screaming like a banshee for her. _But he probably doesn't even want to protect me now,_ she thought miserably back towards this morning's row.

The giant's leg smashed onto the ground and jolted the group so hard Hermione almost fell off. But Kili, bless his soul, noticed and pushed her against the rocks, shielding her body with his. Suddenly, the giant stumbled and Hermione shrieked as the group was smashed onto the mountainside. Thankfully, there was a ledge and they had avoided being smushed like bugs.

Thorin ran up to them with fear written across his normally expressionless face. He grabbed Kili into a bone-crushing hug. Bombur kindly helped Hermione up. For a moment the group showed only relief until-

"Where's Bilbo? Where's the Halfling?" Bofur shouted.

The company turned and noticed Bilbo's tiny hands gripping onto the ledge and saw his eyes widened with shock and fear. Hermione fumbled for her wand, but Thorin had already swung down to help Bilbo up. After much pulling and grunting they managed to heave both Bilbo and Thorin back onto the ledge.

"I thought we almost lost our burglar," Dwalin sighed.

"He has been lost ever since he left his home. He should not have come, he has no place among us." And with that, Thorin turned around coldly and entered the cave in the mountainside.

Bilbo's face fell. Hermione's heart went out to the tiny hobbit that had yet to be accepted by their leader. Drenched to the bone and shivering, the rest of the company filed into the cave after Thorin.

Unable to light a fire, Hermione pulled out her wand with violently shivering hands and performed a quick warming and drying spell. She made her way around to each dwarf and dried them off. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that Malfoy had curled up facing the walls and was apparently asleep. Hermione sighed and settled next to Fili and Kili, she would have to apologize to him soon, no matter how much it wounded her pride.

Exhausted, Hermione slipped into a blissfully dark sleep, without a single thought about the hell the group had yet to encounter.


	6. Down In The Deep of Goblin Town

**A/N: Does not belong to me. Please read and review!**

* * *

"Up! Wake up!" Draco blinked his sleepy eyes open. He scrambled quickly to his feet at Thorin's shout. He made sure that Granger was awake before retracting from her side. Yes, he was majorly pissed off at how she couldn't look past her pride and prejudice and accept that he was a good man, but he had made a promise to Potter, and a Malfoy never broke his word. Yes, they could twist the truth and find a loophole out, but simple requests were the hardest to wriggle out of. _Take care of her._ It was as simple as it got, and whether he was unable or just unwilling, Draco knew that he would protect Granger, at whatever cost.

His stomach dropped as the floor beneath them vanished and they began to free-fall. They tumbled down into the depths of Merlin-knows-where. Someone was swearing, using language that would have made a sailor proud, until he realized that someone was him. Embarrassed, he clenched his jaw and bit his tongue to avoid screaming like Pansy did when she had accidentally charmed her eyebrows blonde. They fell for a long time until they all crashed one on top of the other, Draco falling on top of the fat ginger dwarf, and the hobbit on him.

Before the group could gather their bearings, a group of slimy, shrieking, rabid, house elf looking things began pulling at them, hauling them to their feet. They pinched and prodded at him, tugging at his hair.

"Get away from my hair!" Draco bellowed at the thing that was currently reaching its filthy hands towards his hair. It screamed and pulled back, but another took its place. The company was herded like cattle across bridges and brought beneath perhaps the ugliest thing Draco had yet to encounter on this quest.

It was sitting upon a crudely crafted throne and jumped down when he noticed the group approaching. It had an abnormally large head with bulging eyes. Its stomach jiggled with every movement it made, its loud footsteps rattling the ground. Draco didn't know whether it was his chin, or a beard made of fat that hung beneath its face. And to top it all off, on top of his head sat a crown. By Merlin's saggy left-this thing was the king!

"Who would be so bold as to enter my kingdom? Spies? Thieves? Assassins?" it wailed.

"Dwarves, your malevolence." One of their captors replied.

"Dwarves?" The king questioned, his eyes flickered to Draco, who stood a great deal taller than the dwarves, and his gaze settled on Granger.

"And what would two humans be doing in the company of dwarves?" he leered at Granger. Draco could see that she was trembling in fear, but she raised her chin bravely and said nothing.

"Very well, if they will not talk, we'll make them squawk!" He yelled. "Start with the woman."

Draco's heart sank into his stomach. He was supposed to protect Granger. He struggled to get to her side, but three more creatures jumped on him, holding him back. He watched as Granger shrank in fear, and was relieved when the dark haired dwarf and his blonde brother stepped in front of her, shielding her from the King.

"Wait!" Thorin bellowed and stepped forward.

"Well, well, well," The King's eyes lit up as he recognized Thorin. "Look who it is. Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King under the mountain." He bowed mockingly to Thorin who clenched his jaw. "Oh, but I'm forgetting you don't have mountain, and you're not a king. Which makes you, nobody really."

Thorin said nothing at the King's degrading comments. "I know someone who would pay a pretty price for you head. Just a head, with nothing attached."

Suspicion flickered in Thorin's eyes as the King continued. "A pale orc. Astride a white warg. You know of whom I speak?"

"Azog the Defiler is no more. He was slain in battle long ago!" Thorin insisted.

"So you think his defiling days are done, do you?"

The King then sent his cackling, deformed scribe to tell this 'Pale Orc' that he had captured Thorin Oakenshield. And if that wasn't enough, the bloody thing began to sing.

"Bones will be shattered, necks will be wrung! You'll be beaten and battered, from racks you'll be hung! You will die down here and never be found, down in the deep of Goblin Town!" He wailed at the top of his lungs.

Goblin Town? Draco wondered. So these were the goblins of this world? He almost preferred the greedy long fingered goblins of earth to these ugly little creatures. A goblin picked up Thorin's sword, and unsheathed part of it before it screeched and backed away as if it had burned him. The Goblin King recoiled back onto his throne.

"I know that sword! It is the Goblin Cleaver! The Biter! The blade that sliced a thousand necks! Slash them! Beat them! Kill them! Kill them all! Cut off his head!"

The three goblins that were holding him back began attacking Draco with renewed vigor. Before he could draw his wand, they had tackled him the muggle way to the ground. There was a flash of white bright light, and the goblins fell off him as if hit by an _impedimenta_.

"Take up arms," It was Gandalf! "Fight! FIGHT!"

Draco say the dwarves around him get up groggily. He stumbled to his feet and drew his wand from inside his robes. Frantically searching through the piles of bodies, he helped Granger to her feet who was pulling her wand from her beaded back. Unfortunately, as the dwarves revived, so did the goblins. Draco through curse after curse towards the mass of goblins.

"This way!" Gandalf yelled. The company hastily followed after Gandalf.

Draco tugged Granger insistently as they ran after Gandalf who was leading the way. The two cursed, jinxed, and hexed anyone that approached them or the dwarves. Draco felt like he was beginning to get the hang of this constantly running for your lives kind of adventure. It was a whole heck of a lot different than the sort of 'adventures' he had had back home during the war.

Before they could cross a bridge however, the Goblin King climbed up and blocked their way.

"You thought you could escape me?" He swung his giant mace, which knocked Gandalf back a few steps.

"What are you going to do now, wizard?" He taunted Gandalf.

Gandalf then promptly poked the Goblin King in the eye and used his sword to cut open his stomach. Draco shuddered involuntarily. That was just bloody disgusting.

"…That'll do it." The Goblin King nodded before Gandalf cut his throat, and ended his life. He fell forward and the bridge they were standing on creaked and moaned at the added weight, then collapsed.

Draco pushed Hermione towards the dark haired dwarf, Kili, who was standing closer to the center of the falling bridge. Draco clutched onto the first thing he could grab, which happened to be the dwarf with the funny hat and braced himself for the impact of when they would finally hit the bottom of this pit.

The company groaned as they fell to the ground and lay in a heap of splintered wood.

"Well that could've been worse," a dwarf grunted in a semi-optimistic way.

Who ever it was, Draco suspected it to be the one with the weird hat, let out a yell of disbelief and pain as the body of the dead Goblin King promptly fell on top of them.

"You've got to be joking!" they cried out indignantly.

"Gandalf!" Kili called in panic as he helped Granger to her feet. He glanced at the walls of the pit they had fallen down, and thousands of little goblins were quickly making their way down to them.

"Run!" Gandalf yelled.

Draco bolted with the dwarves hot on his heels. They all knew there were too many goblins to possibly fight, so they followed the tunnel, which by some odd stroke of luck did indeed lead to the way out.

They burst out of the mountain into the sunlight and sprinted towards the trees. Draco led the way and brought them deeper into the forest before stopping so Gandalf could take a head count.

"Draco, Oin, Gloin, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, Thorin, Fili, Kili, Hermione, that's twelve. Thirteen, fourteen, Ah! And Bombur, that makes fifteen." Draco, however noticed that they were one short. "Where's Bilbo?" Gandalf looked around as if to see the tiny hobbit was only hiding behind a tree.

"Where is our hobbit?" He asked with more urgency.

The dwarves bickered amongst themselves over who had last seen the hobbit. "Let me tell you where Master Baggins has gone." Thorin began to rant about how Bilbo had thought of nothing but his warm hearth and his books. Draco agreed that Bilbo probably did miss his home quite a bit, but didn't everyone?

"You should not doubt him so, Thorin," Hermione said quietly.

"Why not? He has only ever proved himself incompetent." Thorin fired back at her.

"That is not true!" Hermione talked back. "Who was it that saved you from the trolls? If it wasn't for Bilbo's quick thinking, you would have been long gone. There is much more to Bilbo then meets the eye, and he will prove it, not only to you or this company but to himself as well."

"Enough," Thorin growled at Hermione. "He is long gone."

"No he isn't," Bilbo suddenly appeared from behind a tree.

The dwarves let out cries of shock, but immediately welcomed Bilbo.

"Bilbo Baggins!" Gandalf smiled. "I have never been so glad to see anyone in my life!"

"How ever did you get past the goblins, Bilbo?" The blonde dwarf asked in amazement.

"Well…" Bilbo hesitated and Draco noticed that he slipped something within his pocket. Whatever it was, Draco supposed it was that that helped him escape the goblins virtually unharmed.

"Well, what does it matter?" Gandalf passed the moment off. "He's back now!"

"It matters," Thorin spoke for the first time since Bilbo's unexpected return. "I want to know - why did you come back?"

Bilbo took a deep breath, "Look, I know you doubt me, I know you always have. And you're right... I often think of Bag End. I miss my books, and my armchair, and my garden. See, that's where I belong, that's home. That's why I came back... 'cause you don't have one, a home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can."

The dwarves were touched, Draco noted. And, he mused, it seems like Granger was right, yet again. The midget with large hairy feet did have much to prove still.

Alas, that touching moment of reunion and relief was ruined as a howl echoed in the trees.

"Bloody hell," Draco muttered.

"Out of the frying pan," Thorin began.

"And into the fire," Gandalf confirmed. "Run."

Bugger, Draco thought, as they once again sprinted for their lives.


	7. Out of the Frying Pan

Why are we always running for our lives? Hermione wondered as she urged her tired, shaking legs to continue running. One foot in front of the other, she willed. Her heart was pounding within her chest. The wargs were coming, and sure enough they burst out from the trees and snapped at the company's heels.

"Up! Into the trees!" Gandalf commanded.

Hermione swerved to her right where she saw Kili and Fili scramble up a tree. She gripped a branch and with her remaining strength managed to haul herself onto the lowest branch. Thank Merlin she was small. A warg jumped at her and she let out a little scream as its wide jaws ripped off a portion of her robe. Fili and Kili both grabbed her and lifter her into a higher branch that was out of the wargs' reach.

Suddenly, a white warg emerged from the shadows, and there upon its back was Azog the Defiler. His pale body gleamed in the night and the scars that ran across his body were horrific. He smiled maliciously at Thorin and said something Hermione guessed was insulting in Black Speech.

Thorin had stiffened in what Hermione perceived to be a mixture of shock, disbelief, and most definitely fear. Azog pointed his weapon at Thorin and yelled. The wargs were snapping and growling in even more ferocity at them. They jumped on the pine tree, which swayed dangerously with their weight. But it became too much for the tree and it creaked and groaned before tilting to its side. Kili grabbed a hold of her robes and tossed her to his brother who had already jumped into the other tree.

All the trees began toppling with the domino effect, and the dwarves were all forced to huddle in the last tree on the edge of the cliff. Gandalf threw a firing pinecone at the wargs, which succeeded in driving them back. Hermione shot flames from her wand with _incendio _and lit the ground around the tree on fire. Her and Malfoy shot flames while the dwarves were throwing flaming pinecones. They were sending the wargs back. Until, of course, the tree they were in fell.

Everyone was now clinging desperately to the tree that was only holding by a couple of roots to the cliff. Ori slipped and grabbed onto Dori's legs, but Dori couldn't hold the combined weight of himself and his brother. With pleads of help towards Gandalf, Dori's hands slipped.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Hermione screamed.

The brothers floated in the air for just enough time for Dori to grasp onto the end of Gandalf's staff.

Azog only sat there though, and sneered at the company. Hermione fearfully watched as Thorin pulled himself to his feet and stood on the tree. He thrust his shoulders back and walked confidently towards Azog. Hermione could not describe it any other way. Thorin was truly royalty that night as he took on the pale orc to save his people.

But no matter how royal Thorin looked, he still was no match against Azog and his white warg. Azog struck Thorin down and Hermione winced as the warg sunk its deadly teeth into Thorin's armor. The Pale Orc said something to one of the other orcs, and Hermione watched in horror as it prepared to kill Thorin.

There was a small movement to her side, and suddenly Bilbo was running towards Thorin. With a brave little yell, he launched himself at the orc and stabbed it repeatedly. Azog bared his teeth and turned to Bilbo, preparing to kill the little hobbit that had prevented Thorin from dying.

That was all it took for the dwarves to find the strength to heave themselves up and attack the wargs to protect Thorin. Hermione knew she had to help them, she was a _witch _for goodness's sakes, and she could take on a few of the big bad wolves. She let go of the branch she was grasping, and twisted midair. A little bit of apparation wouldn't effect the outcome of the journey, she reassured herself.

With a crack, she appeared in the midst of the battle and began shooting spell after spell towards the wargs. Out of her peripheral vision she saw Malfoy join the fighting. There was a rush of wings behind her, and as she spun around abruptly the ground beneath her feet vanished. The witch let out a surprised shriek as she was tossed off the edge of the cliff. Her scream was cut off short as she landed on the back of a giant eagle. The eagles! She thought gleefully. A moment later, her eagle made a hairpin dive, and Malfoy was dropped beside her.

"What the bloody hell?" He muttered to himself as his hands grasped onto the soft grey feathers of the eagle.

"The Great Eagles, Malfoy." Hermione hummed happily.

"Of _course_ the would have giant eagles that save the day," He rolled his eyes sarcastically.

"They save the day quite often in Tolkien's world." Hermione informed him.

Malfoy only snorted in response. They rode on in silence until the sun began to come up and the sky was painted beautiful shades of orange. The guilt that was gnawing on Hermione's stomach suddenly began chewing much more ferociously and she knew that she just _had _to apologize for her row with Malfoy.

"Listen, Malfoy," she began.

"Draco, call me Draco. We've been through a whole bloody lot and still aren't on first name terms."

"Right, erm..Draco. I'm sorry." She stared down, and refused to meet his eyes.

He didn't reply for a while, and Hermione chanced a glance up at him. He had a pale eyebrow raised in a gesture to continue.

"Bloody hell," she swore. His eyebrow raised itself even higher, if it was possible. "You're gonna make me…Fine. I'm sorry I acted so selfishly back in Rivendell. I was being thoughtless and just blurted a whole bunch of crap about you that wasn't true, I know you've gotten over your previous prejudices, and I should too. I'm sorry, truly."

Malfoy smirked, then heaved a giant sigh. "You are forgiven," He pompously said in a way that reminded her of Percy Weasley.

"Git." She muttered.

"You wound me, Granger," He pressed a hand mockingly to his heart.

"Hermione," she told him. "If I have to call you Draco, then you should probably call me Hermione."

"As you wish, Lady Hermione." He mimicked a bow the dwarves gave upon meeting someone. "You like that, don't you? _Lady_ Hermione, I've seen the way you blush when the dark haired dwarf calls you that." Draco said slyly.

"I have no idea what you are rambling on about. Are you sure you haven't hit your head somewhere?" She looked away. "Oh look! We're landing!"

Hermione was determined not to let the telltale blush creep to her cheeks when Draco mentioned Kili. Yes, he was a handsome dwarf, and quite a tall one at that. But she did not want to fall in love on this journey. Falling in love only made you more vulnerable. And Hermione was done being vulnerable.

The eagles dropped the company off on the Carrock and they all immediately rushed towards Thorin who was laid gently down by the eagle carrying him. Gandalf kneeled by his side and muttered a spell, running his hand over Thorin's face. His eyes slowly opened and the dwarves along with Hermione let out a relived sigh.

"The Halfling?" Thorin asked as Kili helped him up.

"Bilbo is right here, quite safe." Gandalf assured Thorin who now hobbled towards Bilbo.

"You! What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say that you would be a burden, that you would not survive in the wild and that you have no place amongst us?" Hermione frowned. Bilbo had just saved Thorin's life! And here he was reproaching Bilbo, who was staring at the ground with a frown playing across his face. "I have never been so wrong in all my life."

Thorin embraced Bilbo, who looked surprised that the dwarf that doubted him the most was now admitting that he had been wrong. Bilbo awkwardly patted Thorin on the back.

"Forgive me for doubting you." Thorin apologized.

"No, it's fine." Bilbo quickly said, "I would have doubted me too, I'm not a hero, nor a warrior. Not even a burglar."

Hermione chuckled at the humble hobbit. They were amazing creatures indeed. Perhaps that was why they were the most resilient to the pull of the ring. The _ring_! Hermione's eyes widened. It was sitting in Bilbo's pocket this very instant! She contemplated informing Gandalf, although she was fairly sure that he already knew. However, the ring would be used by Bilbo to save the company later on, and it had it's own adventure.

"Is that what I think it is?" Bilbo asked as the company peered out into the distance at, by Merlin! Hermione gazed at the mighty mountain that stood in the distance. Erebor…

"Erebor! The Lonely Mountain. The last of the Great Dwarf Kingdoms of Middle Earth." Claimed Gandalf.

"A raven! The birds are returning to the mountain!" Oin shouted gleefully.

"That, my dear Oin, is a thrush." Gandalf pointed out.

"Then we'll take it as a sign, a good omen." Thorin smiled down at Bilbo.

"I do believe the worst is behind us," Bilbo concluded optimistically.  
Hermione felt herself saddened at Bilbo's naïve statement. If only he knew, she sighed, the worst is yet to come.


	8. The Last Skin-Changer

**A/N: Does not belong to me. Please read and review!**

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Draco broke the moment of general calmness by announcing, "How do we get down from here?"

"There should be…ah! Here they are…stairs." Gandalf pointed to the narrow, steep stairs that winded its way down the Carrock.

Draco narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the stairs. "They don't look like much."

"If you would rather, there's another way down," Hermione pointed off the edge of the cliff sarcastically.

"Why can't I apparate?" He whined.

"Why can't you walk?" She imitated.

The dwarves chortled at Hermione's sass. "Fine." Draco muttered. He carefully extended a long leg and cautiously made his way down.

Once they were safely on the ground, the dwarves made camp, and Thorin sent Bilbo away to scout the surrounding land. Draco wandered about, then sat down beneath a tree, far enough away from the dwarves, but close enough to be able to keep an eye on Granger.

Hermione was currently laughing at some joke the dwarves had made, she got along fantastically with them. If Draco were to be honest, dwarves made him a bit uneasy. They went against every rule his mother had taught him growing up, and had absolutely zero manners. However, the elves were a different matter altogether. For the first time since landing in this place, he had been in utter and complete awe of Rivendell and the elves. Besides Gandalf, they were the only ones that he could look straight in the eye and not have to bend over. Their city was graceful and elegant, somewhere his mother would have liked to see. She had always had an eye for things that were beautiful.

Draco missed his mother a lot. He hadn't seen her since that brief moment when her and Lucius were weaving through the mayhem of battle and desperately trying to find him. She had pulled him into a hug, and Draco closed his eyes remembering the way she smelled. But he had lost her when he stepped forward to protect Hermione. Draco knew that this world was the best option for him and Hermione, but he only wished Narcissa could have come as well. He shuddered to imagine what Voldemort could be doing to her. He hoped that his father was keeping her safe.

He always had had a complicated relationship with his father. From a very young age, Lucius had always drilled it into his head that purebloods were supreme, and that mudbloods were not worthy of magic. But Draco looked up to his father, and admired him so much. However, after his father's fall from grace, he began to examine his own beliefs, and coupled with the stress and fear of Voldemort's impossible task for him, he saw the kind of man his father really was. A coward.

Draco was cut off from his inner musings when Bilbo emerged from the bushes, very out of breath.

"How close is the pack?" Thorin asked at once.

"Too close," Bilbo shuddered. "Couple of leagues, no more. But that's not the worst of it."

"Have the orcs picked up our scent?" Dwalin asked before Bilbo could continue talking.

"Not yet, but they will do." Bilbo answered quickly. "We have another problem-"

"Did they see you?" Gandalf interjected. "They saw you."

Draco could see that Bilbo was getting very frustrated with all the interruptions. "No, that's not it." Bilbo frowned.

"Good. What did I tell you? Quiet as a mouse! Excellent burglar material!" Draco rolled his eyes at Gandalf. Bilbo obviously was dying to tell them something of great importance, and possible life threatening. The dwarves had begun chattering amongst themselves, completely disregarding Bilbo's 'important' information.

"Will you just listen? I'm trying to tell you that there's something else out there!" Bilbo said hotly.

"What form did it take?" Gandalf queried. "Like a bear?"

"Yes…but bigger. Much bigger." Bilbo replied.

Everyone turned to Gandalf, "You knew of this beast?" Bofur questioned.

Gandalf did not reply.

"I say we double back." Bofur spoke to the group.

"We'll be run down by a pack of orcs." Thorin snapped.

"There's a house…" Hermione piped up. Gandalf turned towards her thoughtfully.

"Indeed…It's not far from here, where we might take refuge." Gandalf agreed.

"Whose house?" Thorin narrowed his eyes. "Is he a friend or a foe?"

"Neither." Gandalf replied. "He will help us, or he will kill us."

The old coot reminded Draco very much of their old professor Dumbledore in the sense that when he spoke, he very rarely made sense to those around him.

"What choice do we have?" Thorin asked resignedly.

Whatever the beast was, it roared, and Draco could tell that this was not something that would be easily defeated.

"None."

And…they were running again. Gandalf led the way through a river, into the woods, and out again. Draco spotted the house in the distance, and quickened his pace. Someone shoved him aside and he almost stopped in wonder as Bombur, the fattest dwarf he had ever seen overtook him.

The company filed through the gate but stopped at the door of the house and jumped in vain as they tried to open the lock. Draco ran up, undid the latch, and the group spilled into the house. The bear-like creature stuck its muzzle in, trying to get to the company, but the dwarves managed to shut the door.

"What is that?" Ori turned around, gasping for breath.

"That is our host."

The dwarves stared at Gandalf in confusion. That was their host? Bloody hell it _lived_ in this house?

"There must be something more about him." Draco demanded.

"His name is Beorn, he's a skin-changer. Sometimes he's a huge backed bear, sometimes he's a great strong man. The bear is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with. However, he is not over fond of dwarves." Gandalf explained.

"We'd better hope he's in a good mood with the strangers that burst into his house uninvited then," Draco muttered sourly.

Ori peered through a crack in the door. "He's leaving!" he informed the group.

Dori pulled Ori away from the door, he had a frightened look on his face. "Come away from there! It's not natural, none of it. It's obvious, he's under some dark spell."

Some dwarves glanced at Draco and Hermione, wondering if they knew what kind of dark spell was placed on Beorn. Draco simply shrugged his shoulders, showing that he was just as ignorant as the rest of them.

"Don't be a fool. He's under no enchantment but his own." Gandalf snapped. "Right, get some sleep, all of you. You'll be safe here tonight."

"I hope." Draco heard Gandalf murmur quietly to himself.

Mumbling a bit amongst themselves, the dwarves were able to settle down wearily and almost all fell asleep at once. Draco was about to go sit by Granger, the only one in the company who's presence he actually enjoyed being in, but he noticed the dark haired dwarf, Kili, once again entertaining her with one of his stories about when he was younger.

Draco smirked to himself, whatever Hermione said to convince herself not to be attracted to the dwarf was obviously not working, because she leaned forward and began sharing a tale from their first year at Hogwarts. He sat down next to her, and winked when she glanced at him. She rolled her eyes and smacked him upside the head.

Rubbing the spot she hit him on, Draco lay down and quickly fell asleep.

Sometime in the middle of the night, Draco heard the front door open, and a giant figure entered the house, but his sleep-addled brain couldn't process this new information and he soon blacked out once more.

Draco's nose twitched. There was something fuzzy on his nose, but he flicked his head a little to try and fling it off and return to sleep, but it stayed and buzzed loudly on his face. His eyes flew open and he let out a yell of surprise when a great big bee stared back at him.

He heard tinkling laughter to his side and glared up at Hermione who tried to repress her laughter.

"Not funny," he grumbled.

"Imagine what you would have done had it stung you!" the witch crowed gleefully.

Draco shuddered at the horror his poor face would have had to go through had the bee actually stung him. "Has the host returned?" He wondered suddenly. Last night seemed a haze, but he faintly remembered someone entering.

"Yes, Beorn is talking to the dwarves right now." Hermione nodded towards the table where the dwarves sat and ate noisily. A large man, who had to be at least as tall as Hagrid had been was serving them great big tankards of ale.

Merlin knew how much he craved some alcohol right now.

"Finally, you are up." Beorn nodded at Draco when he sat down. He handed Draco a piece of bread with honey one it. Draco quickly devoured the food. "I hear you are a wizard, like Gandalf."

Draco swallowed. "More or less."

"And your wife?" Beorn questioned.

Spluttering and choking Draco looked up at Beorn with watering eyes. "My…my what?"

"If she isn't your wife, then who is that lass?" Beorn nodded towards Hermione was sat by Bilbo's still sleeping form.

"She's not my wife, don't let her hear you saying that," Draco advised wisely. "She's also a witch…and we're…friendly acquaintances." He finished lamely, for lack of a better word to describe their relationship.

"I see.." Beorn nodded. "Why would you let a female on your quest?"

Draco snorted. "She's so bloody stubborn, it would've been easier to just bring her rather than argue with her. Besides, they don't call her the 'brightest-witch-of-our-age' for nothing."

"Aye," Kili agreed. "She's helped us out of quite a few tight spots."

Bilbo had just woken up and quietly joined the group. Beorn began questioning Thorin, " So you are the one they call Oakenshield. Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?"

Thorin look surprised, "You know of Azog? How?"

A sad look crossed Beorn's giant face, "My people were the first to live in the mountains, before the Orcs came down from the north. The Defiler killed most of my family, but some he enslaved. Not for work, you understand, but for sport. Caging skin-changers and torturing them seemed to amuse him."

Bilbo, who had been silent suddenly spoke up, "There are others like you?"

Beorn sighed, "Once there were many."

"And now?" Bilbo continued questioning.

"Now there's only one." Beorn did not linger on the topic. "You need to reach the mountain before the last days of autumn."

** "**Before Durin's Day falls, yes." Confirmed Gandalf.

** "**You are running out of time." Beorn observed. Way to mention the obvious, genius, Draco thought sardonically.

"Which is why we must go through Mirkwood." Draco had no idea where it was, but Thorin stiffened, and Draco groaned inwardly at whatever horrors were hidden within this 'Murkwood'.

** "**A darkness lies upon that forest, foul things creep beneath those trees." Beorn warned. "There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and The Necromancer in Dol Guldur. I would not venture there, except in great need."

**"**We will take the Elven Road, their path is still safe." Gandalf insisted. Ah! Elves! Draco felt himself beginning to want to see these elves.

"Safe? The Wood Elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin." Bugger, Draco thought. He still wanted to see these elves though, "They're less wise and more dangerous. But it matters not."

**"**What do you mean?" Thorin asked worriedly.

**"**These lands are crawling with Orcs, their numbers are growing and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive." Beorn answered grimly. "I don't like dwarfs, they're greedy and blind, blind to the lives of those they deem less than their own."

He picked up a small white mouse that Dwalin had brushed impatiently off his arm, and held it in his hand. Draco wondered for a moment whether he would kill the rodent, but Beorn gently set it free. "But Orcs I hate more."

"What do you need?" Beorn addressed Thorin.

Beorn was kind enough to loan the company fifteen ponies, seeing as Granger was small enough to ride a pony, and two horses. "Go now, while you have the light. Your hunters are not far behind."


	9. Sickness of Mirkwood

**A/N: Does not belong to me. Please read and review! I will update again once I get 30 reviews!**

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Hermione let out an exhilarated laugh. The breeze whipped her hair all around her face, but she didn't mind. For the first time, they weren't running for their lives, they were riding for their lives. And it felt amazing.

Her pony was white with brown splotches, but the first thing Hermione noticed was that it had startling green eyes. She'd immediately dubbed her pony 'Harry'. They company rode to the edge of the wood and slowed down when they reached the Elven Gate to Mirkwood.

"Here lies our path through Mirkwood." Gandalf announced, dismounting from his horse.

"No sign of orcs," Dwalin noticed. "We have luck on our side."

Gandalf glanced behind them, and Hermione turned to see Beorn's giant bear shape amongst the trees.

"Set the ponies loose. Let them return to their master."

"This forest feels…sick." Bilbo glanced around uneasily. "As if a disease lies upon it. Is there no way around?"

Gandalf immediately shot his idea down and wandered a little bit into the forest. Hermione stayed behind to gently pat Harry on the head. Sadly, she turned his reigns free and watched as he galloped off.

"Not my horse! I need it!" Gandalf had rejoined the company at the edge of the forest.

"You're not leaving us?" Bilbo protested.

"I would not do this unless I had to." Gandalf answered firmly.

"You've changed, Bilbo Baggins. You're not the same hobbit as the one who left the shire." Gandalf regarded Bilbo more closely.

Hermione watched with a pained expression as Bilbo fingered the ring in his pocket. She desperately wanted to rip it out of his hands and throw it away, as far away from the hobbit as possible. But she knew that that would only make it easier for Sauron to find it, it was the safest with Bilbo.

The company watched as Gandalf rode away before hesitantly entering the dark forest of Mirkwood.

They trudged through the stifling air of the forest and slowly Hermione began to lose track of time. She stumbled over a tree root and grasped tightly onto Draco's cloak to steady herself. She stomach seemed to have vanished as she stared up at Malfoy with a nauseous look on her face. His face swam before her eyes as she slowly but determinedly shook her head to clear the fog.

"Air…I need air!" Bofur gasped.

Hermione was not the only one who was being affected by the sickness of the forest. Draco had lost all color in his face and his normally shiny blonde hair had lost its gleam. He caught her gaze, and Hermione frowned when his usually penetrating grey eyes had become dull and weary.

"Keep moving!" Thorin commanded.

They company stumbled forward into one another as Nori abruptly stopped.

"The path! It's disappeared!" he exclaimed in terror.

"All of you, look for the path!"

Hermione stumbled around and leaned against a tree. Her lungs were constricting and she fought to take another breath. She tried to raise her wand, but her arm refused to move. Her eyes made out a hazy figure standing in the trees. He had round glasses, wild hair, and…green eyes. Green, not red.

"Harry!" She gasped out, stumbling towards the figure.

"Hermione," he smiled at her. "You must find the path. Be strong, Hermione."

"Harry, are you really here?" Hermione asked, her mind not being able to process his words. She reached out to him, but he backed up a step.

"Hermione, stop. You need to find a way out of here. You are in danger." Harry insisted.

"Please, Harry, don't leave!" She pleaded.

Harry looked at her once more with a proud smile on his face. "You're the brightest witch of our age, 'Mione. Fight. Fight the darkness. Use your brain. Come on!"

Hermione's vision focused, but Harry began to walk away. "Harry!" She screamed. "I'm sorry! Please! Please don't leave me!" She sobbed.

She began to run after him, but arms wrapped around her middle, preventing her from following her best friend. "No!" she fought, writhing in her captor's arms. "Harry! I won't leave you again! I'm sorry! Don't go!"

"Lady Hermione!" It was Kili who was holding her back.

Her desperate attempts to escape died down and she turned around, dry heaving sobs wracking her body, and buried her face in Kili's shoulder. "Harry…" She mumbled incoherently. She shivered, her mind had cleared some, but she was still in shock from seeing her best friend again.

Dori bent down and picked up a tobacco pouch off the ground. "Look, a tobacco pouch. There's Dwarves in these woods."

Bofur plucked the pouch from Dori's hands. "Dwarves from the Blue Mountains, no less. This is exactly the same as mine."  
"Because it is yours, do you understand?" Realization dawned on Bilbo's face. "We're going around in circles, we are lost!"  
**"**We are not lost." Thorin insisted. "We keep heading east."  
**"**But which way is the east?" Dwalin burst out. "We've lost the sun!"

The dwarves began arguing with each other; Hermione's head was pounding. "The sun!" She shouted to get the dwarves attention. "Bilbo, quick climb a tree! See if you can find the sun!"

Bilbo had a look of terror on his face, but he determinedly nodded, and grasped a tree branch. Hermione watched him climb up to find the sun, before frowning. It was much too quiet. Oh no…She had forgotten about-

There was a sharp jab in her back, and the world swam before everything went black.

Hermione didn't know how long she was out, but when she awoke, she could only hope that Bilbo was on his way to rescue them. She heard and saw giant shapes shuffling around, and she closed her eyes tightly and steadied her breathing. She couldn't let the spiders know she was awake now. Suddenly one of the spiders let out a shrill scream. Bilbo! Hermione rejoiced. Before she could say anything to the brave little hobbit, he had cut her free and she tumbled to the ground.

She heard grunts and groans around her, and she hastily rose to her feet and pulled out her wand. With quick _diffindos_ she cut the dwarves closest to her free from their sticky constraints. The spiders attacked the company and Hermione gasped when Bilbo began to fight the spiders.

"Fili!" She heard Kili yell. She scrambled to his side and shot a quick stunner towards the spider's eye and watched with satisfaction as it screamed, then rolled over.

"Come on!" Dwalin roared. "Keep up!"

Suddenly a spider landed in front of Thorin who raised his sword, ready to protect his company. More spiders began descending upon the group when the spider before them and many others fell to the ground, dead. The group let out a relieved sigh, then tensed again when Thorin found himself staring at the point of an arrow.

"Do not think I won't kill you, dwarf. It would be my pleasure." The Elf Prince, Legolas, spat.

A loud yell emerged from the trees. "Draco!" Hermione screamed in horror when she realized that it was her blonde ferret.

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**A/N: Please please please review! Hahaha I feel so greedy, but I really want more reviews! They help improve my writing a lot! Thanks!**


	10. Red Haired Savior

**A/N: **

**To: just me~Thank you for the review! Normally I don't respond to reviews, but I couldn't resist this time. Is my story that predictable? Haha anyways...here's your answer to your prediction.**

**And thank you to anyone else who reviewed! I appreciate it a lot!**

**As usual, this does not belong to me. Please read and REVIEW!**

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"Ahh!" Draco yelled when he tripped and a giant spider latched its jaws onto his foot. He kick desperately.

"Draco!" He heard Granger scream from the trees somewhere.

All of a sudden, and arrow protruded from its eyes and it fell to the ground, dead. There was a flash of red hair and all the other spiders around him shrieked in pain. His savior had her back turned to him, and he realized with terror that a spider was approaching them.

"Quick!" He yelled as he hurriedly scanned the ground for his wand, which had fallen when he struggled with the spider. "Give me a dagger! Something!"

"You think I would give you a weapon, mortal?" She spun around, and nailed the spider in the head with a dagger.

Damn, Draco thought. He stared at the woman with and impressed look on her face. She had badass skills that would give even Granger a run for her money. She was _not_ a human. Draco gazed at her in awe. She was almost as tall as him and had creamy white skin and high, defined cheekbones. Her hair reached her waist, and was a vibrant red. But what stuck out to him the most were the pointed tips of her ears: she was an elf.

The elf bent down and picked up his wand, which was laying on the ground. Draco gratefully stuck his hand out, asking for it back. But she only smirked and gave him a rough shove towards the rest of his company.

The company was surrounded by other fierce looking elves, and the leader of the elves commanded, "Search them!"

The red haired elf pushed him into the center of the group and another elf began searching his robes for weapons. Of course, he had no other weapons, and the elf searching him moved on to Hermione.

He watched the leader of the elves, the one with long blonde hair, take a locket from Gloin.

"Oi! Give that back! That's private!" Gloin protested.

"Who is this?" The blonde elf sneered. "Your brother?"

"That's my wife!" Gloin said indignantly.

"And what is this horrid creature? A goblin mutant?"

Gloin looked insulted. "That's my wee lad, Gimli."

The elf then turned to Draco's red haired savior and asked her something in elvish. She replied to him in a low, worried tone. The leader was handed Thorin's sword and he regarded it in reverence.

"Where did you get this?" he asked Thorin.

"It was given to me," Thorin steadily met his gaze.

"Not just a thief, but a liar as well," he pointed the sword at Thorin's throat, and Draco immediately disliked him. He was an arrogant prick, Draco fumed. A brat spoiled rotten.

"Who is he?" Draco leaned over Hermione and whispered in her ear as the elves began herding the dwarves away.

"Legolas." She replied simply as if that answer would suffice.

"I don't like him." Draco muttered darkly. "Arrogant git."

"I think that this Legolas now reminds me very much of another blonde heir who was also very arrogant and spoiled rotten." Hermione glanced at him.

Draco scowled. Honestly, he didn't know why Legolas got to him so much. Perhaps it was because he had captured and bested him? Perhaps it was the way he treated them with obvious distaste and disgust? Or maybe it was the way Draco noticed him looking at his red haired savior.

The elves led the company deeper into the forest, and into their elven castle. Draco noted that this fortress reminded him of pureblood manors back on Earth; powerful and mighty, yet still beautiful.

He was shoved into a cell and had the door slammed shut. He glanced up and was surprised to see the red haired elf staring up at him. "Aren't you going to search me? I could have anything down my robes." He flirted lightly.

She tensed, and for a second Draco wondered if he had gone too far when she smirked, "Or nothing."

Draco was stunned into silence as he stared down at her retreating form. There was something about the way she made his heart race that bothered him deeply. He had no idea what to do about it. Here he was, stuck in a cell, and was falling in love with his captor. What his mother would say…he shook his head lightly. He sat down on the cold stone floor and shoved his hands in his pockets. His fingers brushed over something small and metal in his pocket.

Narcissa…she had given him something when he was a very little boy, and was crying after his father had given him a deep scolding. It was an ivory brooch with a narcissus flower laid in emeralds in the center. His mother claimed that it was something his father had given her when they had just gotten married, and she carried it around with her everywhere.

_"Just to remind myself when things got hard, how much he loved me." She answered Draco's curious questions. "Now I want you to have it, darling, to remind yourself when things get difficult of how much both your father and I love you."_

Draco felt that it was still pinned on the inside pocket of his robe and was immensely relieved that the elves hadn't taken it from him. He carefully undid the clasp and ran his long fingers over the emeralds, thinking about days when he would run around the manor grounds, his mother laughing from a distance.

"What is it?" Draco was jerked from his memories as the red haired elf stood, staring at the brooch.

"It is a talisman," he answered in an ominous voice. "With a heavy curse placed upon it."

She looked a little startled and began to walk away when Draco desperately called out to her, "Or not."

She paused and turned her gaze back to him curiously. "My mother gave it to me," Draco explained. He had no idea why he was telling her this, but realized that he would ramble off his deepest secrets, really just to keep talking to her.

"As a token of her love." He smiled fondly.

He tossed it in the air but his weary hands didn't clasp around it in time and it clattered to the ground, rolling dangerously towards the edge of the cliff. The elf whipped aroundfaster than he had ever seen anyone react and caught the brooch with the toe of her boot. She bent down and picked it up, holding it up to the starlight to get a better look. Loud, merry voices drifted down to the cold cells.

"Sounds like quite a party you're having up there." Draco commented.

"It is Mereth Nuin Giliath; The Feast of Starlight. All light is sacred to the Eldar, but the Wood Elves loves best the light of the stars." She explained with wonder dancing across her fair features.

"I always thought it is a cold light, remote and far away." Draco confessed.

"It is memory!" She exclaimed. "Precious and pure."

"Like your mother's love." She held out the brooch back to him. Draco cautiously reached out and took it from her palm.

"I was named for a constellation." Draco mentioned.

"Really?" She looked at him to continue. "Which one?"

"Draco, it means dragon." He told her.

"I have not heard of that constellation," She admitted.

"You know my name now," Draco pondered for a minute, wondering if he should ask. "What is yours?"

After a moment's hesitation, she replied, "Tauriel."

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**A/N: Please, please, please, please, review, review, review, review! Thanks!**


	11. The Chivalry of a Slytherin

**A/N: Thank you to all those who reviewed for all the positive encouragement, constructive criticism, and suggestions! **

**So without further ado, here is the next chapter!**

**As always, these characters, places, and most of the plot do not belong to me! Please read and REVIEW!**

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Hermione was silently brooding in the corner of her cell. She knew that they would be locked up by the Woodland elves, but being captured like this reminded her too much of her time in Malfoy Manor. Though Hermione grudgingly admitted these elves were much more hospitable in comparison to Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Are you all right, My Lady?" Kili asked from the cell across from hers.

"Yes, and you?"

"Never better," he replied sarcastically, and Hermione felt an insane giggle bubble to her lips.

"I should thank you though," Kili said seriously. "I would not be alive had you not rescued me."

Hermione was confused for a moment before realization dawned on her, the spiders! "Oh!" She said, flustered. "It was nothing really, simple charm. I didn't even kill it!" She continued to ramble on, but stopped when she noticed Kili's amused look.

"You talk a lot," He pointed out. "If you didn't have such a bare face, I would have mistaken you for a dwarrowdam!"

"Err…Thanks?" Hermione paused. "Wait a minute, bare face? Excuse me, but you don't have much beard on your chin either!"

Kili's face turned sour. He glared, embarrassed, at the floor. "Sorry," Hermione bit out quickly. "I-I didn't mean to offend you."

"Would you hold it against me?" Kili asked her, still not meeting her eyes.

"What?" Hermione ogled him. "If you didn't have a beard?"

Hermione burst out laughing, she knew it was probably due to all the stress and hormones this quest produced, but for now, she blamed it on the spider venom. She was bent double and grasping the cell bars to stay standing. Hermione glanced up, met Kili's bewildered, hurt eyes, and burst into a new fit of laughter.

"Ahh…" She wiped tears from her eyes.

"You are insane." Kili muttered.

"Yes, I suppose we all are a little mental…" Hermione trailed off. "And to answer your question, no I would not hold it against you if you didn't have the bushiest beard or the scraggliest scruff. That would be preposterous."

"That's good." Kili nodded to himself. "All the dwarrowdams and dwarves laugh at me because I have no beard."

"You know, for what it's worth, where I come from, the most…handsome men all shave their beards." Hermione told Kili consolingly.

Kili made a face of horror, "So that's why Master Malfoy has such a clean face. We all wondered whether he had some elf blood in him."

Hermione only laughed at the thought of Draco with long blonde hair. He could look almost identical to Legolas, she mused.

Through their entire conversation, Hermione realized, she had not once thought about being in jail, captured by elves, or even Harry. Kili had a way of making her forget all her negative thoughts in life and just smile again. Hermione felt an instant pang of guilt the moment the realization dawned on her. She couldn't let herself be distracted now, she had to complete this quest. After that…If truth be told, Hermione had no idea what she would do once Smaug was defeated. The dwarves had offered her a home in Erebor…wait. Hermione's heart stopped. Thorin would die. Fili and Kili as well. No…_No_. Over the past few weeks, Hermione had let herself connect with these dwarves, and she knew she would give her life in an instant to protect them.

_Well that's just it, isn't it?_ Hermione thought to herself. She would have to sacrifice herself for her dwarves. She was sick and tired of constantly running. She was a coward, she feared death. Hermione decided that in order to protect her dwarves, her friends, her…family, she was going to die to save them. And she would finally be with Harry, Ron, Ginny, Luna, Neville, and all her other fallen friends when it was over.

It was strange, Hermione mused, knowing exactly how many days you had left to live. It had a strange way of reshuffling one's priorities. For the first time since arriving in Middle Earth, Hermione felt like she knew her real purpose for being alive. She would stay alive to die for her friends. And for the first time, in that dingy cell in the Mirkwood Realm, Hermione felt a little more at peace with herself.

Yells of shock awakened her from her newfound sense of tranquility. Bilbo was standing there with the set of keys in his hand.

"Bilbo, you're bloody brilliant!" She heard Draco hiss from his cell.

Bilbo began unlocking each cell, and setting them free.

"Shh!" He motioned for them to be silent. "There are guards nearby."

They filed down into the wine cellar, and Kili placed a hand on the small of her back to steady her when she tripped over a stair. And Hermione found that she didn't mind it. Bilbo pointed out the barrels and only closed his eyes in frustration when the dwarves began protesting.

"Do as he says." Thorin confirmed.

The dwarves went silent, then one by one crawled into the barrels. "Wait!" Hermione whispered urgently. "Bilbo! My wand!"

Bilbo's eyes widened. "Wait here, Lady Hermione." He vanished as he put the ring on, and Hermione only hoped that he could get her wand back in time.

Hermione hastily shoved herself into a barrel and waited for Bilbo to return. There was a pit pattering on the stairs and Bilbo appeared a second later grasping Hermione and Draco's wands, and a couple of small daggers for the company. Louder footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs and Bilbo hissed at the company to get into the barrels. Hermione ducked her head down as Bilbo slammed the lid of the barrel on.

A few seconds passed, and suddenly without warning, her barrel began to roll. Hermione clenched her jaw and squeezed her eyes shut as she felt weightless for a moment as the barrel fell, and landed with a loud splash into the river. The lid to her barrel popped off and Hermione was drenched to the bone with freezing cold water.

They paddled downstream as fast as they could because Bilbo, who was currently clinging onto one of the barrels, had shouted about how the elves knew about their escape.

The company shouted as their barrels tipped over a waterfall and splashed into the rapid current.

A long horn sounded and the elves that were guarding the gate began to quickly crank the gate shut.

"No!" Thorin yelled desperately as they crashed into the gate. They were trapped.

Without warning, the elf guard found an arrow sticking out of his chest and he toppled down into the river.

"Watch out!" Bofur exclaimed.

Orcs were swarming the place and began picking off the elves one by one.

Hermione noticed Kili trying to climb the rocks to pull the lever. Draco noticed too, because with an unexpected act of chivalry, he shoved Kili aside and scaled the rock easily. Hermione whipped her head around to keep watch for him, and saw an orc raise his bow and take aim and Draco.

The arrow whizzed by before Hermione's horrified scream reached Draco. With a loud grunt of pain, he collapsed on the floor clutching his leg. Hermione screamed in rage and sent a _confringo _at the orc who shot Draco, but because of the violent waves, it missed and blew up the rocks beside the orc. All of a sudden, the orc was decapitated and sent tumbling into the water. The red haired elf, which Hermione had noticed Draco talking to earlier, stood there with a murderous expression on her face.

Hermione shot a few more curses and hexes at the orcs who were creeping up on Draco who had heaved himself up and pulled the lever down with all his might. The gates creaked open and the dwarves spilled out.

"Draco!" Hermione screamed. He noticed and crawled over the edge of the rock and slipped into his barrel just in time for them to be swept away in the current.

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**A/N: Now click that little button at the bottom that says REVIEW and let me know what you think about this chapter! Thanks!**


	12. Laketown Smuggling

**A/N: Thank you to all who reviewed! **

**just me~it was quite sad for me as well when I learned that Kili and Fili would die in the books, although I do agree with the logic behind wiping out the line of Durin. But seeing as this is a fanfiction, anything could happen right? (No guarantees though, it all depends on how I'm feeling the day I write that chapter);)**

**Again, thank you to everyone who commented on my story! I want to know what you guys think! I promise that I read each and every review and will consider any suggestions you guys have to improve my story and writing as a whole! Thanks!**

**As always, the characters, settings, most of the plot, dialogue do not belong to me, but to their respective creators. Please read and REVIEW!**

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Pain. So much pain. Draco almost blacked out when the waves of pure pain crashed into him. Getting branded with the Dark Mark? He would rather take ten. Have shards of falling chandelier cut his face? He'd take that any day. The Cruciatus Curse? Didn't seem that bad right now. Each pump of his heart brought a new tidal wave of torment. And just as he was about to slip into that blissful state of unconsciousness, he found himself splashed in the face with freezing water. So he lingered in that state of only being able to comprehend one word: pain.

Panicked shouts came from the rest of the company as the orcs had continued to follow them as they splashed and bobbed down the river. Had Draco been able to process the murky thoughts that swirled around in his brain better, he would have helped but...from where he was, the company seemed to be doing just fine, although having the elves scaling the trees and shooting orcs down had its benefits as well.

Thorin tossed as many weapons around to the dwarves so they would at least have some better defenses than the small daggers Bilbo had managed to procure. Dwalin smashed an orc with his bare head and sent it sprawling into the fast moving water. However what did catch Draco's attention was when the barrel that contained the fat one...Bombu...no, Bombur, went sailing over his head and crashed onto the shore, coincidentally taking out multiple orcs. Draco snorted then gasped in pain as his injured leg knocked against the side of the barrel.

His head jolted to the side as an elf, the blonde haired prince-y one, jumped across the river using the company as stepping stones. The elf wasn't heavy, but every small movement caused Draco's leg to excruciatingly burn. Someone had sent an orc tumbling down into his barrel and into him, and for a moment, Draco saw stars. _Bloody hell_, he swore vehemently when the barrel twisted and fell down another waterfall. The orcs tore after them in vain, but Draco hazily watched as their forms became smaller and smaller and were soon left behind.

It was then, that the water became more peaceful, and by some miracle, the elves had stopped pursuing the company.

The company drifted and paddled along the river until the reached the shore. It took all of Draco's strength to haul his barrel over to the rocks where waterlogged dwarves were stumbling around, wringing out their clothes.

"Malfoy!" He heard Hermione gasp out when she saw him sitting down on the rocks, moaning in pain. "Draco!"

She rushed to his side and took in his injury with wide eyes. "I'm fine," he bit out.

"Uh huh," She nodded sarcastically. Hermione waved a dwarf over, Oin, and asked him what he could do.

"Not much. We gotta pull the arrow out, laddie. And it's gonna hurt." Oin grimaced.

"Okay," was all he managed to choke out. His eyelids began to droop. A sharp snap and stinging pain on his face brought him back to reality.

Hermione looked down at his leg with a slightly guilty expression. Slightly.

"On three," Oin informed Draco. "One, Two,"

"Ahh! Merlin's f-!" Draco cursed profusely in language that would have made Weasley proud.

"Get him up," Thorin Oaken-ass looked down on him, completely disregarding the fact the Draco had just had an arrow pulled from his leg. An arrow that he took so that Thorin could survive.

"Draco's wounded." Hermione protested hotly. "His leg needs binding."

"There is an orc pack on our tail. We must keep moving."

"And he's going to die before we get anywhere!" She exclaimed.

Thorin sighed and rubbed his eyes. "You have two minutes."

Hermione didn't waste a second. She quickly cleaned the blood, ignoring his hiss of pain. After a few quick drops of Essence of Dittany, she bound his leg tightly to prevent it from bleeding any more. "You fool, Draco. Why did you do that?"

"I don't know, Granger. Quit asking me stupid questions I don't have answers for." He snapped.

"And the Slytherin is back." Hermione rolled her eyes. "That was a pretty Gryffindor move for you to make."

"Don't remind me." Draco closed his eyes. "I mainly did it to save my own skin."

"I think you did it because you-" She trailed off, looking over his shoulder in surprise.

Draco twisted around and…saw yet another person pointing an arrow at him. "Bloody hell, I am done taking arrows for this bloody group of dwarves!" He exclaimed. He picked up a stone that was next to him and made to throw it at him when it was shot out of his hands.

"Do it again and you're dead." The man, yes a _human, _warned.

"Excuse me, but um...you're from Lake-town, if I'm not mistaken? That barge over there, it wouldn't be available for hire by any chance?" Balin, ever the diplomatic one, asked.

The man considered it for a moment before heading down to his barge and began to load the empty barrels they had rode in onto the boat.

Hermione helped Draco stand, but couldn't bear his full weight, so she asked Kili to come over and help him up. Together the three hobbled down to where the rest of the company was bartering with the man.

"I'll wager there are ways to enter the town unseen." Balin inquired.

"Aye, but for that you would need a smuggler." Bard agreed.

"And for that, we would pay double."

The man pondered this for a moment, and finally consented, stepping aside and letting the company aboard his barge. He glanced at Draco and Hermione curiously, wondering what two humans were doing in the presence of dwarves, but he said nothing.

The dwarves argued amongst themselves, like always, until Balin persuaded each of them to turn out their pockets to pay the man, Bard. They all grumbled about it, but soon enough the table was filled with glimmering gold coins.

"There's err…a wee problem." Balin confessed. "We're ten coins short."

Draco had really hoped they wouldn't come to this. He had kept a few coins from the troll cave when Hermione had told him to leave the money. He knew that to survive, anywhere really, your main bargaining chip would always be money. As was the case now. He'd kept the gold, hoping to spend it on something worthwhile, but as he was still slightly delirious from the pain of his injury, and if he would allow himself to admit, scared of Bard, he grimaced and decided to cough up his share.

Draco slowly reached into his pockets and handed forward five coins. But they still were five short. It just so happened that Gloin had not paid his share yet, and he was the only one who adamantly refused. However, when the dwarves caught sight of their Lonely Mountain, standing majestically in the mist, Gloin hastily turned in all his money.

It wasn't a moment too soon, because Bilbo had cleared his throat to warn the company as Bard approached them.

"Give me the money, quick." He demanded.

"We will pay you when we get our provisions, not before." Thorin glared up at Bard.

"If you value your freedom, you will do as I say." Bard insisted. "There are guards ahead."

With one last distrustful glare, Thorin reluctantly handed over their coins. Bard had them climb into the barrels, which Draco made sure to do with much grumbling and complaining. He winced in pain as his leg gave a painful throb. And then, to make matters worse, he found fish, dead fish being dumped on his head. He felt nauseous and wanted to throw up as the stench of the fish invaded his nostrils and fogged his mind.

Draco faintly heard arguing and the sound of fish being dumped into the lake, when Bard gave a sharp shout, and someone called the dumping off.

"The Master has his eye on you. You'll do well to remember, we know where you live." The person threatened.

"It's a small town, Alfrid," Bard retorted. "Everyone knows where everyone lives."

Draco felt his barrel being turned over, quite unceremoniously. He lay, sprawled out for a moment on the ground trying to control his pain, when a hand helped him up. Bard patted his shoulder then moved on to the other barrels. After Granger was dumped out, she stumbled towards him and gave him a once-over, checking to make sure he was alright.

"M'fine," He mumbled.

She only gave him a withering look before stalking after Bard. He watched as she conversed with him for a moment, the two glancing in his direction before he nodded. She walked back to him and grabbed his hand.

Draco looked at her curiously. "Well if you wanted to hold my hand, all you had to do was ask." He couldn't help drawling.

"Shut up, Malfoy. Bard's given us permission to apparate into his house. I told him you were too weak to travel anymore."

"I'm not weak," Malfoy protested lightly, before his leg gave another painful twitch and he grimaced. It sure had bloody good timing.

"Right," Hermione said sarcastically before turning on the spot and the duo vanished with a crack.

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**A/N:To possibly clear things up Hermione apparated knowing the address of Bard's house, he gave it to her when she was talking to him and asking for permission to apparate into his house. **

**Liked it? Hated it? Please let me know what you think by leaving a review! Thanks**

**~lilyevansmrspotter**


	13. The Final Stop

**A/N: Everything you recognize does not belong to me. Reviews would be amazing! Thanks!**

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They appeared with a sharp crack, and Hermione heard a girl scream in shock. _Shoot_. Bard's daughters.

"It's okay," Hermione held out her hands up in surrender. "Bard the bowman, your father, gave me permission to enter your house. I'm sorry for the surprise, but we really mean you no harm."

At that moment, Draco gave a loud grunt, and the little girl hid behind her sister. "My friend is mortally wounded. He needs somewhere to rest. Please, could you spare any surface for him to lay upon?" Hermione pleaded.

The girl nodded and offered them a cot. Hermione led Draco over and dumped him, as gently as she could, onto the cot. After a few moments, she heard steady breathing coming from him and she sighed in relief. Hermione turned around and found the girls still hovering close to the door nervously. She didn't blame them. If two strangers appeared out of thin air in her home, she probably would be scared out of her mind. Hermione tried offering them a smile of assurance, but her lips were only able to twist into an exhausted grimace.

Bard opened the door and walked in after several minutes of awkward silence that stretched between Hermione and his daughters. The little girl let out a cry of joy and jumped into his arms.

"Da! Where've you been?" She wondered worriedly.

"Father, there you are!" The elder daughter also embraced her father. "I was worried."

"Bain, get them in." Bard nodded towards his son.

Soon, Hermione could hear the loud muttering of her dwarves as they trudged up the stairs. Out of the toilet! Hermione let out a low chuckle.

"Father, why are there…dwarves coming out of our toilet?" Sigrid, Bard's eldest daughter asked nervously.

"Will they bring us luck?" Tilda, the younger daughter excitedly inquired.

Hermione couldn't help but snort in laughter.

The dwarves had gathered around the fire, wrapped in whatever blankets and clothing Bard could find. Thorin was gazing somberly out the window and started when he spotted something.

"The Dwarvish Wind Lance!" He gasped.

"You look like you've seen a ghost." Bilbo commented.

"He has. The last time we saw such a weapon the city was on fire. It was a day the dragon came. The day that Smaug destroyed Dale." Balin answered sadly.

Balin went on to explain how Girion had tried to shoot Smaug down with the Black Arrows, but had failed.

"You speak as if you were there," Bard narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"All dwarves know the tale." Thorin dismissed Bard's suspicions immediately.

Bain, Bard's son spoke up, "Then you would know that Girion hit the dragon. He loosened his scale under the left wing, one more shot and he would've killed the beast!"

Dwalin chuckled, "That's a fairy story, lad. Nothing more."

Thorin walked up to Bard, "You took our money, where are the weapons?"

"Wait here." Bard disappeared downstairs and brought up a bunch of 'weapons'. The dwarves picked them up and proclaimed that they were not good enough, dumping them back onto the table.

"You will not find better outside the city armory." Bard spoke indignantly. "All iron forged weapons are held there under lock and key."

Balin suggested that they take what was given and leave. Bard shot down his idea in an instant by mentioning the spies that were watching the house. They would not be able to leave until nightfall.

Hermione wandered back to where Draco was laying. He looked sickly and pale. She reached out a hand to feel his forehead, and recoiled in shock at just how much he was burning up. She muttered a cooling spell, and fed him water, but after that, there was nothing she could do.

She felt helpless once again, as someone close to her was on the brink of death. Frustrated tears welled up in her face as she gently brushed Malfoy's blond locks off his forehead.

"Do you love him?" She looked up, startled, and met Kili's intense brown eyes.

"No no no…" She denied quickly. "He's more like…I have no idea how to describe our relationship. Sometimes he's like my brother, and sometimes I just want to hex him into next week."

"You care for him," Kili pointed out.

"Yes," She nodded her head. "He's protected me so much in the short amount of time we've been here…I just have to help him."

"What about you?" Hermione asked tentatively. "Do you…love someone?"

She didn't know why it was so hard to ask that one question. She hungered for the answer, but also dreaded it. Kili gazed into the fire for quite some time.

"I don't know." He answered.

Before Hermione could reply, Draco moaned and blinked open his eyes. "Bloody hell, Granger. I feel terrible."

"How? Where?" Hermione bustled around him, checking his temperature, forcing him to eat some food, and finally hesitantly looked at his leg. What she saw almost made her faint. The bandage she had wrapped it in earlier was completely soaked through with dark blood. His leg had swelled to twice its normal size, and the skin around it looked a sickly green.

"We must go," Thorin announced, standing up.

Bard had left them for a while, and the dwarves were beginning to become restless. After the dark blanket of night spread, Thorin led the company out of Bard's house, against the protests of Bard's son.

"Will you be alright?" Kili fretted over leaving Hermione and Draco.

"Fine, fine," Hermione waved Kili on. "Go get your weapons."

She half wished that he would stay.

But he bowed deeply and scurried out the door after his brethren.

Hermione sighed and sat down in front of the fire, waiting for her dwarves to return.

After what felt like an eternity, the dwarves burst through the doors. Hermione stood up eagerly to hear what had happened.

"The Master of Laketown welcomes us!" Kili announced gleefully.

"He will provide us with the necessary transport the rest of the way to Erebor!" Fili chimed in.

Hermione let out a delighted laugh, but inside she knew the Master was not doing this from the kindness of his heart. He wanted the gold.

"We are going to the Master's house to stay for the night," Thorin told her. "However, you and Master Malfoy were not invited."

"Right…" Hermione looked at the ground, not quite knowing what to say.

"Not because we forgot you, Hermione." Kili assured her. "It is because Uncle does not trust the Master. We felt that you might be more safe staying here."

"No, you're absolutely right." Hermione said, a little more bitterly than she would have liked. "Always protect the woman."

"You'll promise to be there when we leave though, right?" Ori spoke up, then blushed and looked away when Hermione turned an inquisitive gaze on him. "It wouldn't quite be the same without you and Master Malfoy."

Hermione was touched. It seemed that these dwarves did care for her! She was delighted and this only worked in solidifying her decision to protect them, no matter the cost. It was worth it.

The next morning, Hermione woke Draco up and fed him a little broth Bard's daughters had made for her. They hobbled down to the docks and weaved amongst the eager crowd to try to reach the dwarves.

Kili spotted her from a distance and hurried over to help her support Draco.

"What's this?" Hermione turned around to see a round man with greasy orange hair combed over his balding head.

"You neglected to tell me there were other members of your company." He accused Thorin.

Thorin bristled, "You did not ask, you simply assumed."

The Master smiled greasily. "As you wish, King Under the Mountain."

Malfoy hobbled forward, trying to get to the boat as fast as possible, so he could sit down. Thorin glanced at him and said, "Not you."

Draco looked at him in confusion. "What the bloody hell are you talking about? Of course I'm coming."

"No." Thorin stated.

"Look, mate. I didn't want to be on this quest in the first place, but for your quest I got mauled by an arrow. So you can be bloody well sure that I will see what I even got shot for." Draco hotly responded.

"Stay here," Thorin commanded. "However, you may join us when you are healed. Do not take me to be an ungrateful wretch, I do fully appreciate your sacrifice. But I will not allow you to slow down our quest."

Hermione felt sadness pang her heart as she watched Thorin's eyes take on the mad gleam. He was already partially succumbing to the Gold Sickness. Draco looked thoroughly pissed off as he sat on the dock brooding. He was sweating with the effort it took to remain upright, and Hermione could tell how much this was draining him of his energy.

Oin decided to stay in the end with Draco, which Hermione was extremely grateful for. "Get in the boat, Lady Hermione." Thorin demanded.

Hermione was torn as she glanced from Draco's hunched over form and Erebor. She knew what would befall Laketown when the dwarves awoke Smaug, and by Merlin she was not about to abandon a friend to dragon fire and ruin.

"I will stay as well." She announced. The dwarves let out cries of protest.

"What is the meaning of this?" Thorin thundered.

Hermione lifted her chin defiantly. "Draco Malfoy is my...friend, and I will not abandon him. My place is with him."

"Hermione." Kili pushed in front of his uncle and stood before her.

"Don't try to change my mind," She pleaded softly. For she knew that if he asked her to go with him, she would not be able to resist that temptation. She couldn't resist _him_.

"I won't," Kili promised her. He took her face gently in his hands, and tentatively pressed his lips to hers. Hermione's eyes fluttered shut as she felt his velvety lips softly caress hers. But it was over almost as soon as it began. Kili pulled away and Hermione felt herself leaning towards him.

He pulled her into a hug and ran his fingers through her hair. "You asked me last night if I loved someone." He murmured quietly in her ear. "I think I know now."

"I will see you again." Hermione vowed. _To save you. _

"I have no doubts about that." Kili smiled, and kissed her forehead once more.

Hermione watched with misty eyes as the dwarves sailed away from her and towards the mountain.

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**A/N: Please let me know what you thought by leaving a review! Thanks!**


	14. Walking in Starlight

**A/N:Thank you to everyone who reviewed! I appreciate it so much! Here's the next chapter of my story! Sorry it's kind of short...Please let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer~ Everything you recognize does not belong to me, only their respective creators. Please read and REVIEW!**

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Every step he took required the strength needed to move mountains. Draco's legs were losing all feeling and his head spun. This was not a normal infection, he thought hazily. There must have been some type of poison on the arrow.

Hermione and Oin held him up, but neither were strong enough to support his full weight. They ran into Bofur who informed them that he had missed the boat. Bofur peered at Draco with concerned eyes, then bid them to follow him.

Bofur led them to Bard's house and knocked on the door. Bard answered, and almost slammed the door in their faces when he realized who it was.

"No, I'm done with dwarves. Go away!" He made to shut the door, but Bofur stuck his foot in the way.

"No! No one will help us!" Hermione pleaded. "Draco's sick. And I don't know how long he can last."

Bard sized up their rather pathetic looking group before reluctantly stepping aside and letting them in.

Draco immediately collapsed on the cot. He began to shiver uncontrollably as his mind slipped between conscious and unconsciousness.

Another cry of agony left his lips. He tried to control the amount of pain he was giving away, but by Merlin did it _hurt_. Hermione was fluttering all around him, trying to keep his temperature down, but he knew that she was too scared to try any serious spells.

"Can you not do something?" She begged Oin.

"I need herbs," he grunted.

"We have nightshade and feverfew," Bard offered.

"They're no use to me," Oin snapped. "Do you have any Kingsfoil?"

"No, it's a weed. We feed it to the pigs."

"Pigs?" Bofur wondered to himself. "Weed. Right." He glanced at Draco's pain riddled form. "Don't move."

Draco noticed Hermione open her mouth to call out to Bofur, but shut it quickly and continued trying to get him to sip some warm water.

Eternities later, Draco could no longer hold in the screams of anguish. His veins burned, yet he still shivered. He was asleep, yet still awake. Hermione was desperately shushing him, trying to sooth him, but nothing, nothing could rescue him from the pain he was feeling.

He barely registered the house shake, and Bard rushed from the house with the Black Arrow in hand.

There was a movement outside, and everyone but Draco froze up. Bard's brave daughter opened the door and called out, "Da? Is that you Da?"

A scream of horror erupted from her mouth as she backed up and tried closing the door behind her. Orcs.

Hermione leapt up and began shooting curses and jinxes at them, but there simply were too many. But suddenly, the orcs began dying much faster. Someone must have come to help, Draco thought deliriously. An orc approached him and leered at him as it prepared to kill him. Draco lunged from the table with what remaining strength he had at the stand where he could see his wand sitting upon. The orc grabbed him, and he struggled, kicking and punching wildly until it fell over dead. An arrow protruded from its head. A very familiar arrow that had saved him once already. Tauriel. She was here.

That was all that mattered to Draco as he lost conscious thought and slipped into the painful dark.

He was trapped in one of his worst nightmares. Darkness enveloped him, and his vision was hazy. Draco made out nine hazy figures that stood in a semi-circle around him. Something or someone was whispering in his ear and a language the did not understand. Draco felt detached from his body. The figures whispered at him to just leave his body. He had no more use for it. He was dead. His body would be used to find _it_. He had no idea what 'it' was, but he knew that whatever it was, it could be extremely dangerous in the hands of these nine.

_Join us…_The voices hissed. It would be so…easy. He felt his soul take a step away from his body towards the creatures. _Yesss… Come closer… _they encouraged softly in his ear.

Out of his peripheral vision, something caught his eye. It was a beam of bright white light. It shone through the darkness, and Draco staggered back in surprise. The figure of a beautiful woman stood in the middle of the light. She wanted him to follow her. He hesitantly took a step towards her. She had vivid red hair.

"Tauriel," He whispered. He walked faster towards her. She reached out a hand towards him, and pulled him back.

"Tauriel," He repeated when he opened his eyes and saw her leaning above him, still bathed in light.

"Lie still," she soothed him, her voice softly commanding him.

"You cannot be her," He realized. "She is…far…far away from me. She walks in starlight in another world. It was just a dream."

His delirious mind was playing tricks on him when he imagined reaching out and touching her hand. It wasn't until he felt a gentle, but ever so present pressure of her fingers against his that he realized that he had actually reached out towards her.

"Do you think she could have loved me?"

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**A/N: Please leave a review! Did you enjoy this chapter? Thanks!**


	15. I See Fire

**A/N: Because "There and Back Again" has not come out yet :( I will be attempting to fill in what I think will happen, but I will also be using the book as a guide for the major events. So from here on out a lot more of the dialogue, plot, etc., will be made up by me and I would love it if you guys could give me suggestions!**

** Everything you recognize does not belong to me, only J. K. Rowling , JRR Tolkien, and Warner Brothers! Please read and REVIEW!**

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Hermione took a steadying breath when Draco had opened his eyes again. She had seen the way Tauriel looked at Draco and she excused herself to give the two privacy.

"She walks in starlight…" She head Draco murmur before she closed the door softly behind her.

The sky was a dark indigo and she could see the stars glittering clearly in the cool night. A sense of uneasiness was growing in the pit of Hermione's stomach. She needed to get the people out before Smaug came. Smaug…Hermione gazed at the solitary peak. Right now, her friends, her new family were in there trapped with that…monster.

It seemed like ages ago that she had made her decision to stay with Draco, ages ago that Kili had…kissed her. She closed her eyes and let that memory wash over her. He loved her. Hermione wasn't sure if she loved him, she'd never fallen in love before. But that warm feeling in her stomach and the way her chest fluttered whenever she was near him…

Suddenly, the wind changed direction and became much stronger as it howled through the town. 'Noise like a hurricane' Balin had told her when telling her about the day Smaug came. 'The pines on the mountain creaked and cracked in the hot dry wind'. She heard shouts of confusion coming from the townspeople as they felt the abrupt change in the wind. The cool air had turned dry and that was when Hermione spotted him in the distance. Smaug.

Her heart rose to her throat as she took in the form of a dragon flying steadily towards the town. It pumped its powerful wings and she could see his throat glowing as if there was a fire burning in it. _Merlin_, she prayed, as it began to set fire to the lake.

Her feet felt glued in place as she watched the people scream in terror. She willed herself to move as she threw open the door to Bard's house.

"Dragon!" She screamed.

Bard's daughters began to panic, the little one burst into tears and clung to her sister's skirts.

"Bofur! Bain!" she snapped. "You're father is in the jail, break him out!"

"How? We haven't got any keys!" Bofur pointed out.

Hermione paused. "Use any means necessary."

"But-" Bofur protested.

"Quickly!" She screeched. "He is the only one who knows how to use the Black Arrow! By dawn we will all be ashes on the lake if you don't break him free."

"Come on, laddie," Bofur and Bain dashed out of the house.

"Sigrid, Tilda," Hermione called. "Run down and prepare a boat."

"Tauriel," Hermione said nervously to the elf. "Can you help me get Draco down?"

She gave a stiff nod and together, they lifted a sleepy Draco off the table and helped him down the stairs.

"Tauriel, keep them safe, please." She pleaded.

"_Vanya Sulie_," Tauriel placed a hand on her heart and bowed.

Hermione turned around and dashed to the center of town. The people were panicking, she could see it. The men were grabbing anything they could use for a weapon, the women dashed around frantically calling out to their loved ones, and the children cried in fright.

"Listen!" Hermione yelled, but no one paid her attention.

"Listen to me!" She screamed, but still no one stopped and paid attention to the witch.

"Sonorus," She muttered, magically amplifying her voice. "Listen!"

Her voice reverberated magnificently and the people paused. "You must escape the town! A dragon comes upon us now, and you do not stand a chance against it!"

"It's those blasted dwarves!" Someone shouted.

The people agreed loudly, "Look, there's no time!" Hermione pleaded. "You must take you children and families and leave!"

"Get into the boats," Someone said behind her. Hermione spun around and gave a sob of relief as she saw Bard standing there.

The people stared at Bard for a moment, and miraculously, they followed.

"Bard, the arrow!" Hermione gasped. "_Accio Black Arrow!" _

She raised her wand and summoned the arrow. It flew above the townspeople's heads and fell with a clatter to the ground before Hermione. She picked it up and handed it to Bard.

"Bard, the loosened scale under his left wing," Her voice quivered. "May your aim be true." Bard nodded curtly.

"I will distract the dragon," She said shakily. "To give you time."

Bard hugged his son briefly before running towards the tower.

"Bain, Bofur! Go, get on a boat and escape." She told the two.

Hermione scanned the quickly emptying town. She needed to somehow gain Smaug's attention while leaving his left side vulnerable. Spotting a high rooftop, she apparated. Hermione swallowed nervously. Smaug was approaching, fast. He laughed and spit more fire at the blazing town.

"Periculum!" Hermione shot red sparks into the air to try to catch Smaug's attention. He turned his large head in her direction and bared his fangs. Hermione shivered in fear, but stood her ground.

In her peripheral vision she spotted Bard silently scaling the tower to the wind lance.

"And who might you be?" Smaug asked her.

Riddles, Hermione, riddles. She told herself. She had to stall him like Bilbo did to give Bard time.

"I am a Bookworm and a Traveler Between Worlds. They call me 'The Brightest'. I am a Greek Messenger and Potions Brewer." She called shakily.

"So, you are another riddler." Smaug roared. "Are you associated with 'Barrel Rider', 'Luck Wearer', and the _thief_?"

"Oh, Smaug the Stupendous," Hermione replied. "I do not know whom you speak of. I can only request you to leave this town and show mercy to the people."

Smaug laughed at her request. "And who is going to stop me from burning this town until the only thing left is fire and smoke. They provided refuge and weapons for the dwarves who came thundering into my halls to steal my treasure. And for that I will raze this town to the ground."

"It is true," Hermione began, "That you are the greatest and chiefest calamity of this age, but I believe some change is in order. Rumor has it that a witch has come to help bring about the end to your desolation."

"There has not been a witch in these parts for thousands of years." Smaug said smugly. "And there will not be one as long as I live."

"And that," Hermione proclaimed, "Is where you are wrong."

She raised her wand and screamed, "_Confundo!" _The spell hit Smaug in the eye who roared and flapped his wings in rage. "NOW!" She screamed at Bard who took aim carefully and let the arrow fly.

Time seemed to stand still as Hermione watched the Black Arrow soar through the air. It pierced Smaug under his wing and penetrated his one and only spot of weakness. Smaug looked around frantically in disbelief, searching for the one who was finally able to defeat him. With a final effort, Smaug turned towards Hermione and shot a last burst of flame at her before he crashed into Laketown, dead.

The house she was perched on began to burn and with all her remaining strength, Hermione apparated away.

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**A/N: So...what did you guys think? Reviews are golden! Thanks!**


	16. The Lonely Mountain

**A/N: Thank you to all for your support! It really keeps me going! Well, I'm officially on spring break now, so my updates should be a little more frequent! Thanks again!**

**Everything you recognize does not belong to me! Please read and review!**

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The burning town somewhat resembled a campfire from where Draco was sitting ashore. He had awoken from unconsciousness to find that he couldn't breathe. Panic seized his mind as he frantically tried to force his lungs to cooperate. At last, his lungs expanded and he gulped in air, only to find that the air was filled with smoke. Draco almost hacked out a lung trying to expel the thick smoke from his chest.

A hand patted him soundly on the back and he opened his watering eyes. He stared up at six faces peering worriedly down at him. Bard's children, Bofur, Oin, and…Tauriel. So it wasn't a dream after all. But there was one face missing.

"Granger?" He choked out. "Where.." He coughed violently.

"_Dina, mellamin,"_ Tauriel said soothingly.

Draco had no idea what she said, but it calmed him down somewhat.

"Lady Hermione went with our father to try and defeat Smaug," Bain told him from the front of the small boat they were on.

"Aye, what a brave lass she was." Bofur agreed.

"Was?" Draco had another coughing fit. "What do you mean?"

"Smaug is the chiefest and greatest calamity of our age." Bofur stated. "To make such a stand against him is a suicide mission."

"But that's what you dwarves were setting out to do, right?" Draco wheezed. "Why is Hermione and Bard the ones facing him when it was a dwarf's quest to begin with?"

"Why do you think Smaug came to Laketown?" Oin asked quietly. "When Thorin marched on Erebor, do you think Smaug just ignored them?"

A heavy silence weighed upon the boat of survivors. "I promised," Draco turned to Tauriel. "I promised Potter I would keep her safe. Please, we have to go find her."

"_Amin hiraetha," _Tauriel breathed. "I'm sorry." The boat bumped ashore and she helped Draco out of the boat.

"I will go search for your friend," She decided.

"Let's go." Draco nodded and made to stand up.

"_Havodad, mellamin,"_ She gently sat him down. "I will go alone. You are much too weak."

"NO!" Draco coughed out. "No, I can't lose you too!"

"You underestimate me," She smiled down at his sitting form.

At that moment, the rest of the town caught on fire, and so did Draco's hopes of Hermione getting out alive.

"Da!" Tilda screamed at the burning town.

There was a sharp crack of apparation and two forms collapsed in front of the group. "Da!" Sigrid gasped and rushed to Bard's slumped form

Draco stumbled over to Hermione with Tauriel's help and winced. Her hair and robes were charred and her face was covered with soot. She had nasty burns on her hands and her head was bleeding steadily.

Tauriel began immediately tending to Hermione's wounds. Draco turned to Bard's unconscious form and took in his injuries. They weren't much better than Hermione's. Draco pulled out his wand and tried to remember any healing spells.

"_Tergeo_," And most of the blood was siphoned off. "_Vulnera Sanetur_." It was the same healing spell Snape had used to heal his wounds in his sixth year after Potter attacked him. It ceased the blood flow from Bard's arm. Draco continued repeating this spell on all the bruises and cuts that littered Bard's body.

"_Ennervate_," Draco pointed his wand at Bard after he was done. Bard moaned and rolled over.

"Da!" His daughters hugged him. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I battled a dragon," Bard replied. The reunited family huddled close together and just held each other. Draco turned his attentions back to Tauriel and Hermione.

"How is she?" He asked Tauriel.

"She will live." Tauriel assured him. "She is strong."

"_Esta sinome,"_ She said in elvish.

"What does that mean?" He asked her.

"Rest here," She translated.

"I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight," He responded honestly. "Will you teach me more elvish?"

"That depends. What would you like to know?"

"How do you say 'You are beautiful'?" Draco wondered.

"_Lle naa vanima." _

"Tauriel, _Lle naa vanima." _Draco was satisfied when he saw her cheeks tinge the faintest shade of pink.

"You silly mortals think you can so easily charm an elf." Tauriel scoffed.

"How do elves 'charm' each other then?" Draco asked curiously.

"It is very rare that elves fall in love. We are immortal, but we can die. Either in battle, or of a broken heart. Love is taken very seriously by elves." She warned him.

"Same from where I come from. When…my kind got married, we were magically bound to our partner."

"Hmm…" Tauriel hummed in the back of her throat.

Draco felt oddly content as they stared out at the still blazing remains of Laketown. Occasionally one would say something they had thought of, and the other would respond thoughtfully.

The more he spent time with her, the more strongly he felt. Ever since the first time they had talked, Draco had noticed a passion within her. Unlike the Elven King she served, Tauriel told him about how she yearned to explore the world, how she felt connected to each race; whether man, dwarf, or elf. However, Draco knew that this would never work out.

Even if Tauriel accompanied them to Erebor once Hermione healed, she was immortal and he…was not. Draco finally understood why she was so guarded with him. She was afraid to give her heart, because once he died, she would too.

The sun slowly rose, and its bright rays danced across the water, making the lake glow softly. Bard and Hermione were still asleep, and, thankfully, so were the townspeople. Draco was eager to get away from them because he could sense that there was to be a riot on their hands soon and the first people the townsfolk would point to would be the foreigners who were responsible for burning the town. _Yes_, Draco decided. The sooner they left, the better.

"Tauriel," he addressed her. "We should leave soon. The people will wake and will most likely be hostile towards us."

"That is true," she nodded. "You should wake Lady Hermione, I will wake the other dwarves."

"Hermione." He whispered and gently poked her shoulder. She gave a moan of pain and continued to sleep. "Granger, wake up."

She stirred and blinked her eyes open. "Wha?"

"We gotta go to Erebor. I don't think we're safe here." He said softly.

She nodded her head a little and slowly sat up.

"It is good to see you awake," Tauriel smiled.

"Thanks," Her voice sounded scratchy and wheezy from the smoke.

Before the sun had completely risen, all five unlikely companions were packed into a boat and were rapidly rowing towards the Lonely Mountain. Oh what a sight it made indeed, Draco thought wryly. Dwarves, elves, and humans all working together.

"What happened?" Hermione coughed.

"You fought a dragon," Draco answered grimly.

"You are very brave, Lady Hermione." Tauriel commented.

"Oh," Hermione's cheeks reddened. "It was nothing really."

Draco rolled his eyes at her utter…Gryffindor-ness. His arms ached from rowing the boat, however he kept his mouth shut. But his exhaustion must have shown because Bofur immediately volunteered to row for him. Draco knew he probably should have handed the oars over, but he didn't want to seem weak in front of Tauriel who was gracefully rowing in the front. Speaking of Tauriel…she seemed to be getting along fantastically with Hermione.

Once the two women had gotten past the standard frigidness of first meeting, they soon found that they had much in common. Draco leaned back and watched as Tauriel exchanged stories with Hermione about how she had become Captain of the Guard.

A shadow fell upon the boat when they passed beneath Erebor. Draco looked up at colossal mountain in awe. It oozed mighty strength down to the last pebble. Their boat bumped against the shore and Tauriel nimbly leapt out. After helping both Hermione and Draco out, the three followed Oin and Bofur who had eagerly run to the immense front doors.

Bofur pounded his mattock on the door and stepped back as the heavy doors scraped open. There stood Thorin, alive and weary looking. Bombur and Bifur let out yells of delight and embraced their brother. Oin rushed forward and Gloin laughed heartily, pounding him on the back.

"Hermione!" Draco heard Kili shout from behind Thorin, and before Thorin could open his mouth to protest, Kili had wrapped his arms around Hermione and hugged her close.

"Kili!" Thorin finally snapped. Kili leaned back with a guilty expression on his face.

"Sorry, Uncle," He mumbled and walked back until he stood behind Thorin again.

The latter strode forward and regarded Hermione, Draco, and Tauriel with narrowed, suspicious eyes. "How did you survive?"

Draco watched as Hermione frowned. She was not expecting this, he realized.

"You should have seen her, Thorin," Bofur piped up. "She stood up to Smaug alone, when no one else would!"

"Is that true?" Thorin asked Hermione gruffly.

"Well, yes, I suppose. But I didn't kill him. I was only buying Bard time, it was Bard who really defeated him." Draco rolled his eyes at her modest answer. If she was anyone but Hermione, she would not have hesitated to step up and claim the praise she deserved.

"Smaug was slain?" Thorin asked in surprise.

"Well, you don't see a great dragon flying around burning everything in it's path, do you?" Draco said sarcastically.

"Why don't we talk about this inside, Thorin," Balin stepped forward.

"Very well," Thorin agreed.

But when Tauriel made to enter as well, she found Thorin's sword pointed at her throat. She stopped calmly in her tracks.

"Not the elf," Thorin spat.

Draco tensed. "She's not the enemy."

"You grow too bold, Master Malfoy. I will not permit an elf to enter my grandfather's kingdom." Thorin growled. "Leave and do not speak to your kin about Smaug's defeat nor of the treasure within Erebor."

"Very well, Thorin son of Thrain. I take my leave of you now." Tauriel agreed coldly.

"But-" Draco protested. He had just got Tauriel back and now she was leaving again. She shot him a warning glance.

"It was a pleasure to meet you Lady Hermione," Tauriel bade Hermione goodbye. She then turned to Draco.

"I do not believe this will be the last we see of each other," She curved her pink lips into a smile. Draco couldn't help it. Screw not falling in love with her.

He strode forward and pressed his lips on hers. She stiffened in his arms, but Draco's mouth tantalized hers so that she slowly wrapped her arms around him. Draco's mind was numb, but in a good-I-just-snogged-the-brains-out-of-an-elf way. He pulled back reluctantly. Something told him that no matter what she said, it would be a while before the two had another moment like this.

"Bye," he hoarsely said.

She turned around and pushed the boat back onto the lake. Draco dragged his feet reluctantly into the mountain as the great stone doors scraped shut behind him.

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**A/N: So...what did you guys think? Please leave a review! They are all greatly appreciated!**


	17. When A Dwarf Falls In Love

**A/N: Thank you guys all again for all your continuous support! **

**Everything you recognize does not belong to me! Please read and review!**

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Hermione gazed around her in awe of the capacious halls of Erebor. Her footsteps echoed loudly as she followed Thorin and the other dwarves into the throne room. She glanced over at Draco who was walking behind her. He had schooled his features into a brooding and sullen look, but even he could not disguise his wonders of finally being able to see what their quest had been about.

"You better start explaining yourselves, now." Thorin crossed his arms and Hermione had the inexplicable feeling that he was her parents and was about to scold her.

"Well…" Hermione thought about how to start explaining. There was just so much. "After you guys left, we brought Draco back to Bard's house because he was in desperate need of medical attention. Night had fallen and his fever only got worse. We sent Bofur to go find us Kingsfoil to treat Draco's wound. Then, the orcs that had been hunting us found out where we were and attacked. Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, and Tauriel, the Captain of the Guard showed up just in time and helped Oin and I defeat the orcs. They were about to leave when Bofur showed up with the Athelas, and Tauriel used her Elven healing powers to revive Draco."

She rolled her eyes when Draco scowled heavily at Thorin when Tauriel was mentioned. Thorin, whether he noticed or simply chose to ignore him, nodded at Hermione to go on.

"Then Smaug attacked. Bofur and Bain broke Bard out of prison and Bard revealed he had the last of Girion's Black Arrows. There was no time and the town was already burning. So I told Bard to get to the wind lance and said that I would be the distractor. After apparating onto a rooftop that was high enough to gain Smaug's attention, I tried my best to stall him."

"How ever did you do that?" Bilbo asked in awe.

"The same way you did, riddles."

"How did you know about Master Baggins's techniques in thieving from a dragon?" Thorin asked incredulously.

His constant distrust and suspicious attitude was really beginning to weigh heavily on Hermione's nerves. "I'm a witch, aren't I?" She snapped. _That effectively shut his mouth,_ she thought smugly.

"Very well," Thorin sighed wearily. "What happened next?"

Hermione frowned, trying to concentrate on the hazy events that happened next. "The building I was standing on caught fire, I think. I apparated to the tower where Bard was. It had already begun to collapse and it was all we could do to cling onto something solid as we plummeted into the lake. I hit my head on a piece of debris and I think Bard broke his wrist. Anyways, I swam over to him and was finally able to apparate ashore. I don't remember anything after that until Draco woke me before dawn."

"Is this true?" Thorin asked Bofur and Oin.

"Aye," Bofur nodded. "Every word."

"And what of Bard?"

"We left shore at dawn," Draco answered curtly.

"He will come and ask for his share of your gold, Thorin," Hermione informed him carefully.

Thorin's face went under a series of transformations: shock, suspicion, and rage. "He will not touch my grandfather's treasure."

"Thorin, think of what Smaug did to Esgaroth! It is completely burned to the ground! You must help them! After all it was Bard who killed Smaug in the end!" Hermione reasoned.

"I will do no such thing, I did not ask him to kill Smaug." Thorin fumed.

"But-" Hermione protested.

"And you will learn your place, Lady Hermione." He growled before striding past her and retreating into the room filled with gold.

Hermione frowned at where he had disappeared. The Gold Sickness had completely taken over and Thorin was not acting rationally. "Do not fret, Hermione." Kili placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Uncle will come to his senses sooner or later."

"I'm afraid it won't be until it's too late," Hermione said without thinking.

"What do you mean?" Kili asked sharply. "Tell me!"

"I-I can't." Hermione stuttered. "Please, Kili. I will try and help your uncle so he does not meet the fate that was planned out for him."

Kili looked scared, but nodded gratefully.

"Well, he's finally gone off the deep end," Draco commented sourly from her other side.

"Oh, cheer up, Malfoy." Hermione nudged his side. "So tell me, when did you and Tauriel become a 'thing'?"

Draco narrowed his eyes at her, and Hermione snorted. "I don't believe that's any of your business."

"Aww…Has the 'Slytherin Prince' finally found his twue wove?" She pouted her lips and made goo-goo eyes at him. This only caused him to scowl more deeply, and her to burst into a fit of giggles.

Suddenly, two pairs of hands grabbed her by her elbows and steered her away. "Hey!" She protested.

"We thought-" Fili began.

"You'd like a tour of Erebor." Kili finished.

"Ooh, yes," Hermione agreed excitedly. "I heard your library here is simply fantastic!"

The brothers stopped abruptly. "Seriously?" Fili asked incredulously. "You are in the mightiest dwarf kingdom of Middle Earth and you want to visit the _library_?"

"Unlike you, I actually enjoy books and the knowledge they provide you with, Ronald," Hermione rolled her eyes. She froze after realizing what she had just said.

"Erm, have you lost your mind, Lady Hermione?" Fili peered at her concernedly. "My name isn-"

Kili jabbed him in the side and glared. He then proceeded to wrap an arm around Hermione. "Don't be insensitive, Fili."

"Insensitive?" Fili spluttered. "Since when did you become the sensible one?"

"I've always been the sensible one," Kili sniffed.

"You're about as blunt as a knife that hasn't been sharpened in a thousand years! Who was it that had to comfort that poor lady when you told her that her beard looked scruffy?" Fili burst out.

"Guys, it's alright. I just slipped. I-you two sounded so much like Ron that it just came out." Hermione attempted to smile, but it came out more like a grimace.

"Is that a compliment?" Kili grinned.

"Of course, though I'm sure if you asked Draco he would tell you it was more of an insult." She smiled with a reminiscent look in her eyes.

Hermione stopped when she noticed the two dwarves with queasy expressions on their faces. She narrowed her eyes questioningly, "What?"

"Since when did Master Malfoy have such an…intimate relationship with that _elf_?" Fili finished with a disgusted shudder.

"What's wrong with Tauriel?" Hermione immediately stuck up for her friend. This feud between the dwarves and elves was really beginning bore her. They needed to just suck it up and get over their differences already.

"They all have such ivory delicate looking skin!" Fili explained.

"Hey, I have pale skin!" Hermione protested.

"It's more creamy though, it doesn't look like it'll shatter if you so much as touch it," Kili reassuringly patted her hand. Then blushed. "I-I mean, well…the elves have such high cheekbones!"

"Where I come from, high cheekbones are considered very pretty," Hermione sniffed.

"THEY'RE TOO TALL!" The two burst out at the same time.

"Since when has height stopped you?" Hermione cocked her eyebrow at Kili teasingly.

"You're only about an inch taller than me, and you have shoes on!" Kili waved a hand dismissively.

"What in Durin's name are you talking about?" Fili gaped.

"You didn't tell him?" Hermione asked, surprised.

"Tell me what?" Fili demanded.

"My dear brother, there comes a time when a dwarf falls in love," Kili threw his arm over his brother's shoulders. "Although may Mahal help the one that _you_ fall in love with."

"Hey!" Fili elbowed his younger brother. "There's nothing wrong with me!"

"Keep telling yourself that, Fee," Kili rubbed his side. "And when they've fallen in love, nothing else matters to them. Not their race, what kind of blood they're from, not even the slight height difference." He finished while gazing intensely into Hermione's eyes.

Hermione bit back a cross between a sob and a scream. A sob because that had to be the single most romantic thing anyone had said to her, not that many people had…the most romantic thing Ron had ever said was 'We don't want any more Dobbies do we?' She wanted to scream because the very thing she feared had come to pass. What would Kili do if she died? Would he find another girl to love? Hermione felt her insides shrivel up a little at the thought. Damn, she thought. This is _not_ good.

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**A/N: So...Kili has finally admitted that he loves Hermione...Let me know what you guys think by leaving a review! I promise that I read every single one of them!**


	18. Arising Suspicions

**A/N: Thank you all for your lovely support and encouragement! **

**Everything you recognize belongs to their respective creator! Please read and review! Thanks!**

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Draco mindlessly wandered around the halls of Erebor after Kili and Fili had dragged Hermione away from him. He reluctantly agreed that this kingdom of Thorin's really was grand. He never would have guessed looking at the mountain from the outside that the inside was so spacious. He strolled towards the front gate and joined Balin who was standing on the balcony, peering towards Laketown.

"Master Malfoy," he nodded.

The words spilled out of his mouth faster than he could stop them, "What's wrong with Thorin?"

"You noticed as well?" Balin sighed. "I fear he has become obsessed with finding the gem."

"Bloody hell, he has a mountain of treasure!" Draco rolled his eyes. "Even Pansy would have to try really hard to spend all this gold!"

"It is no ordinary rock that Thorin seeks," Balin explained patiently. "He is searching for the Arkenstone. His grandfather, Thror, discovered it after digging to the very heart of the mountain, and took it as a sign that his right to rule was divine. It is priceless, it shines with it's very own light from its thousands of facets. It truly is a sight to behold, Master Malfoy."

Draco nodded; he understood how precious family heirlooms were. Like Slytherin's locket, although, he remembered, Weasley had destroyed it.

"Thorin was not too pleased by your…open sign of affections towards the elf," Balin commented after moments of silence.

Bristling, Draco growled, "It isn't any of his business."

Balin chuckled, "It seldom ever is our business, but it will not save us from being curious."

Draco said nothing.

"You needn't say anything. Most of us know love when we see it." Balin continued.

"What makes you think I love her?" Draco asked.

"Do you not?" Balin tilted his head.

Draco considered this. Tauriel had not left his mind from the moment she left. He had kissed her, and she had kissed him back, but-"It is impossible."

"Aye, it would be hard." Balin nodded. "But not impossible."

"She's bloody immortal! And I'm going to die in a hundred years." Draco muttered bitterly.

When he closed his eyes he could see her beautiful face and flaming red hair. When he breathed deeply he could have sworn he had caught a whiff of the woods and night sky. And when he raised a hand to feel his lips where he had kissed her, he could almost taste her lips pressed hesitantly on his. Yes, he admitted, He had it bad.

A bird flew down and landed on the balcony. He looked old and stringy; the top of his head was bald. "I bear a message for Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain, son of Thror, king under the mountain."

"Quick, go get Thorin," Balin pushed Draco back within the mountain. Draco jogged back to the throne room and found Thorin standing there, deep in thought.

"Uh," Draco cleared his throat.

Thorin snapped his head up and fixed his annoyed eyes on Draco. "There's um, a bird on the balcony that has a message for you."

Draco was beyond weirded out. Back home, owls would relay letters between wizards, but a talking bird? He shook his head. Thorin swept past him and Draco turned on his heel and followed.

"Oh, Thorin son of Thrain, and Balin son of Fundin," The bird cawed. "I am Roac son of Carc. Carc is dead, but he was well known to you once. It is a hundred years and three and fifty since I came out of the egg, but I do not forget what my father told me." The bird continued explaining his entire family history, which Draco noticed was custom in this world. "…Smaug is dead."

Thorin nodded, "We have already been informed of this."

"So much for joy, Thorin Oakenshield. You may go back to your halls in safety; all the treasure is yours-for the moment. But many are gathering hither beside the birds. The news of the death of the guardian has already gone far and wide, and the legend of the wealth of Thror has not lost in the telling during many years; many are eager for a share of the spoil. " Thorin made a noise of protest in the back of his throat.

"Already a host of the elves is on the way, and carrion birds are with them, hoping for battle and slaughter." Thorin ground his teeth angrily.

"By the lake, men murmur that their sorrows are due to the dwarves; for they are homeless and many have died, and Smaug has destroyed their town. They too think to find amends from your treasure, whether you are alive or dead." Thorin's hands were clenched by his side.

"Our thanks, Roac Carc's son. You and your people shall not be forgotten. But none of our gold shall thieves take or the violent carry off while we are alive." Thorin's face was furious.

"But go specially to my cousin Dain in the Iron Hills, for he has many people well-armed, and dwells nearest to this place. Bid him hasten." Draco was resisting the urge to smack his face on the nearest pillar. Thorin was being absolutely stupid.

Hermione rushed onto the balcony with a flushed face, chasing after Fili and Kili. "He's just sent for Dain Ironfoot hasn't he?" She whispered.

Draco nodded grimly, and Hermione's face flashed sadness and…fear? For just the briefest moment. Draco made a mental note to ask her later.

"Back now to the mountain!" Thorin cried. "We have little time to lose."

Draco and the others filed back into the mountain.

"Secure the front gate," Thorin commanded Dwalin. Dwalin nodded and gestured for Fili and Kili to follow him. "The rest of you, find any weapon and armor that may be used."

For the rest of the day, Draco found himself sifting through the mounds and mounds of treasure to help the dwarves salvage any armor and weapons. He came across a shirt that looked like it was woven with diamonds, but upon closer inspection it was tiny chains linked together intricately.

"Mithril," Hermione breathed as her fingers skimmed lightly across the shirt. "Light as a feather, but it can protect you from being skewered by even a troll."

Draco's eyebrows rose. "Here, you should put it on. You know, just in case."

Her eyes glinted mischievously, "I didn't know you cared so much."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Just put it on."

She nodded and took it into her hands, then paused. "Wait," she whispered.

"_Accio Bilbo's mithril_!" Another shirt almost identical to the one she held in her hands landed next to them. Nodding to herself, Hermione stowed the shirt inside her beaded bag.

Draco frowned, "What if you forget to put it on?"

Hermione laughed, "Malfoy, Malfoy, Malfoy," She shook her head. "I've memorized textbooks. I don't think I'll forget something this vital that could potentially save lives."

Draco narrowed his eyes. He could tell that there was something she was hiding from him. She had already flounced away to go talk to Kili when he realized, too late, that she had said that it could 'potentially save _lives_'. Plural. And she had made no mention of saving her _own_.

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**A/N: Has Draco finally caught on to Hermione's little plan? Yes? No? Maybe? Leave a review in the little box at the bottom and let me know! Thanks!**


	19. Dreaming of Dancing

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed! Your support really helps keep the ideas coming! **

**Everything you recognize does not belong to me! Please read and review! Thanks!**

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"Hermione," Kili waved her over. "I wanted to give you this."

He held out a long silver sword to her. Hermione furrowed her eyebrows. "Kili, I don't know how to use a sword."

"That's okay," Kili shrugged. "I could teach you."

"I have a wand." Hermione reminded him.

"I know, but-" Kili looked panicked. "What if someone disarms you? Then what?"

"So you _are_ going to let me fight?" Hermione diverted the question.

"Would it be any use trying to fight you?" Kili rolled his eyes. "Besides, some of the fiercest warriors among dwarves are women."

Hermione beamed brightly at him.

"Still, will you take it?" Kili pressed the sword towards her, insistently.

"Alright," Hermione agreed took it from his hands. It was heavy, and she knew instantly that she preferred her wand, but whatever made Kili happy. And who knows? She might have to use it after all.

The two continued sorting through the pile of gold, when Hermione remembered one other thing.

"Kili," She began. "If you gave me that sword, I have something for you too."

She reached into her beaded bag and pulled out the mithril shirt. "Here."

Kili appraised it with wonder in his eyes. "Where did you find this?"

Hermione gestured vaguely towards where her and Draco had been working earlier.

"It will protect you." Hermione begged him to take it.

"You should wear this," Kili made to hand it back to her but she pushed it back towards him.

"I already have one," She lied easily.

His eyes searched her face and she stared coolly back. Her face was beginning to crack with desperation when he sighed and began taking off his shirt. Hermione blushed and turned back towards the pile of gold, examining a goblet with intense interest. She heard Kili chuckle behind her and she reached out to smack him upside the head. He stopped laughing immediately. Hermione plastered a smug smile on her face.

"Alright," Kili announced and spun Hermione around. "How do I look?"

The shirt was a little tight on him, but it fit nonetheless. The little chains of mithril glittered like diamonds in the light. Hermione resisted the urge to snort. From far away it would look like Kili was wearing a sequined shirt. "Like a girl." She teased.

"Hey!" Kili gave an indignant shout. "I do not!"

"Yes you do!" Hermione insisted. "I owned a shirt like that when I was around six and was still into all the girly things!"

Kili laughed, "You never struck me as one who liked sparkly things."

"Diamonds are a girl's best friend." Hermione sang.

"Here then," Kili scooped up a diamond necklace from the pile and tossed it towards her.

Hermione caught it with wide eyes then set it down. She would never get used to how easily and nonchalantly one could scoop up something easily worth a couple thousand galleons back home. "I can't, Kili, this is Thorin's treasure."

"You deserve some sort of payment for what you've done to help us."

"Maybe seeing the library?" Hermione suggested hopefully.

"Aye, I could show you that." Kili nodded and held out his hand.

Hermione squealed rather girlishly and eagerly grasped his outstretched hand.

Kili laughed again and pulled her out of the treasure room. Their footsteps echoed loudly in the halls as they ran, a few dwarves turned their heads at the ruckus, but turned back to their work shaking their heads.

Huffing and puffing, Hermione climbed another set of stairs. "Bloody hell," she swore. "How far up is it?"

"On the seventeenth floor." Kili replied.

Hermione groaned but continued to climb the stairs. Finally, they reached their destination and stopped in front of a pair of heavy stone doors. There was a gold latch on the handles, which Hermione gently lifted up. The sound of locks unlocking reached their ears before the old doors creaked open slowly. Hermione's breath was taken away.

Shelf after shelf of scrolls, books, and maps filled the enormous room. Hermione wandered in in amazement as she gingerly touched the ancient books that belonged to the dwarves. Scattered on a table to her right was maps of Middle Earth that Hermione could spend just hours pouring over them. She flipped open a book and her heart sank. She could not read it.

"It's written in Khuzdul." She whispered sadly.

"When this is over, I will teach you." Kili assured her.

This only made Hermione's eyes fill with sorrow. Here was another thing that he promised her, with all intentions of keeping, but she would never return. She would never learn to read the ancient language of the dwarves, she would never see Kili again after the battle.

Without any warning Hermione flung herself into his arms and clung to him. Slightly bemused, but happy nonetheless, Kili wrapped his arms around her and breathed into her bushy, unmanageable hair. There was something that she wasn't telling him, Kili realized somberly.

"Come on," He sighed. "The rest will be wondering where we are."

They were back to pawing through another pile of treasure when Kili suddenly asked, "Hermione, tell me about your childhood."

"Well, my parents were dentists, which are people who clean teeth, so they were fairly busy. But when they came home in the evenings, I would help my mother cook dinner." Hermione closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, she could almost smell the stew that was cooking on the stove while her mother's tinkling laugh filled the room.

"And after dinner, my father would teach me to dance, with me stepping on his feet and him swaying around to some music."

"Dance?" Kili wondered. "What kind of dance?" He stood up and did a happy little jig. "Like that?"

Hermione laughed, "Nah, it was slow dancing. Thank Merlin for that too, otherwise I would have embarrassed myself even more at the Yule Ball."

"Slow dancing?" Kili looked as if he had never heard of it. Which, Hermione thought dryly, he probably hasn't. Spending all his time in bars and pubs.

"Here, let me teach you." Hermione didn't know what possessed her to do so, but all she knew was that she wanted to spend as much time doing the things she loved with the one she loved before…well before she died. _There's no use hiding from that,_ Hermione scolded herself, _it is what it is._

Kili took her hand. Still grasping onto his hand, Hermione drew her wand and charmed it to play one of her mother's favorite tunes from when she was young.

_How can I forget your love?_

_How can I never see you again?_

Hermione ignored Kili's raised brows at her choice of song. She placed his hand around her waist and grasped the other in her own hand. Slowly, she began to sway to the music.

_There's a time and place,_

_For one more sweet embrace._

_And is time, ooh,_

_When it all, ooh,_

_Went wrong._

_I guess you know by now,_

_That we will meet again, somehow._

After occasionally stepping on her toes, Kili began getting into the rhythm of the song. He began to lead her and the two spun around slowly on the spot.

_Oh baby, how can I begin again?_

_How can I try to love someone new?_

_Someone who isn't you,_

_How can our love be true?_

_When I'm not, ooh,_

_I'm not over you._

Please get over me, Hermione silently prayed. But in some deep corner within her mind she knew that that was impossible. Dwarves fall in love only once. But I have to, Hermione pleaded with herself, he'll die if I don't.

_I guess you know by now,_

_That we will meet again,_

_Somehow._

_Time can come and take away the pain._

_But I just want my memories to remain._

_To hear your voice._

_To see your face._

_There's not one moment I'd erase._

_You are a guest here, now._

She rested her head on his shoulder as the words to the song filled her mind. Hermione's eyes fluttered shut as she willed herself not to start blubbering like a fool. Kili could not know that she planned to do for him.

_So baby, how can I forget your love?_

_How can I never see you again?_

_How can I ever know why some stay and others go?_

_When I don't, ooh,_

_I don't want you to go._

_I guess I know by now._

_That we will meet again, somehow._

Kili twirled her around as she gently murmured the words to the song.

"What are you two doing?" Thorin's voice cut through their moment of serenity.

"She was teaching me to dance, uncle," Kili's low voice explained nervously.

"Kili, you are not to fall for this _distraction_! You are of the line of Durin! I will not permit you to fool around with this…witch!"

"Do not speak of her that way!" Kili protested.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at the insult.

"You will help me find my grandfather's jewel." Thorin commanded his eyes filled with lust for the treasure.

"Yes, uncle," Kili finally submitted.

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That night, dreams flashed quickly before Hermione's eyes. She was standing before a full-length mirror in a long trailing white satin dress. The neckline shimmered with jewels that decorated the bodice of the dress. The sleeves were tight to her elbow then fanned out and trailed behind her in a long train. But there, on Hermione's head was a silver mithril circlet fit for a princess. It draped elegantly on her head on top of her surprisingly tamed hair.

Hermione's wide eyes stared back at her. She raised a hand and delicately touched her face. Her vision swam and when she opened her eyes again she was standing before Kili.

Tears sprung into her eyes when she realized what she was seeing. _Her wedding_.

"I love you." Kili murmured in her ear, his voice thick with emotion, before kissing her soundly on the lips.

The scene changed again and she was standing before the same full-length mirror, but her appearance was not the same as before. She looked older, but happier than she had ever seen herself. Her cheeks were colored with mirth, and her eyes sparkled. Kili stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her and rested on her stomach. Hermione's throat choked up and her heart clenched painfully. While she had never been supermodel skinny, her stomach had always been relatively flat. But now, her stomach had swelled greatly. Upon closer inspection, Hermione noticed that her features had grown softer and fuller. _Pregnant._ The word filled her brain and rendered her speechless. The scene changed.

Hermione was rocking gently on a rocking chair. She glanced down and her already aching heart swelled as she saw the little bundle tucked gently in her arms. It was a girl, her daughter. She had dark curly hair that already hung past her shoulders. Soft, full pink lips pouted adorably at her. And when she opened her eyes…Merlin. Those wide eyes were the spitting image of Kili's. The door flew open and in burst a little boy waving a wooden sword. But when he noticed Hermione, he dropped the sword and scurried to her side. While his sister had Kili's dark hair, this boy had Hermione's honey colored hair that was already braided tightly behind his head. He grinned up at her and Hermione couldn't help but grin back.

"Mummy!" The boy sighed and wrapped his thin arms around her knees.

The scene began to grow hazy. "NO!" Hermione pleaded. She needed to spend just another minute with her son and cuddle with her daughter. Her children she would never get to meet. With a jolt in her navel, suddenly everything Hermione had already seen was playing backwards as if someone had pressed the rewind button. But instead of seeing herself in her beautiful wedding dress again, Hermione found herself outside in the cold.

It was snowing and all she could see was a lone figure hunched on the ground. She walked closer and her eyes widened when she saw that it was Kili kneeled on the ground. She squinted her eyes to see past the snow. He seemed to be in front of a headstone. Someone died, Hermione realized with horror. Who was it? Thorin? Fili? She immediately reached out to comfort him, but before her hand could touch his shoulder he gave a heart-wrenching sob.

"Why?" he choked out as he brushed angrily at his tears. "Why did you do that, you stupid, brave, beautiful witch?"

Hermione frowned. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, to reassure him that she was still there. But you won't be, a snide voice said in the back of her mind.

"Hermione," Kili's head drooped and his shoulders sagged. "I love you."

I love you, too! Hermione screamed in her head. Kili stood and began slowly walking back towards the snow-covered mountains, leaving Hermione by herself out in the cold.

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**A/N: Hola, so the song was "How" by Regina Spektor, I realize that it hadn't come out yet when Hermione was still on Earth, but I heard it the other day and it was just perfect. So sorry if that bothered you. **


	20. Proper Leverage

**A/N: Please please read and REVIEW! Let me know your thoughts!**

**The characters, settings, and most of the plot does not belong to me! Please tell me what you think of this chapter! Thanks!**

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Soft sniffling awoke Draco. He blinked open his eyes sleepily and frowned. There it was again. Someone was crying. Normally, Draco would do all that was in his power to avoid teary women, but as of late, Draco found himself doing many things he normally wouldn't do. He sat up and hastily shoved his feet back into his shoes that rested at the foot of the large bed. Thorin had reluctantly granted him and Hermione spare rooms to rest in, but the rooms were cold, dusty, and empty, and lacked the welcome he thought a real bed would bring.

Sure enough, the crying was coming from Hermione's room, and he paused before stepping in. She was curled into a tight ball and clutched at her sheets, tears flowing down her cheeks. Draco sighed and poked her shoulder.

"Granger," He whispered. He seemed to be waking her a lot in the past few weeks. From nightmares. He knew what it was like, of course, because he too would find himself jolted awake in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, with Voldemort's cruel eyes glaring menacingly at him. "Hermione."

He grasped her shoulder more firmly and gave her a rough little shake. She gasped and her wide brown eyes flew open, marked with sorrow. Draco frowned. Usually she would awake terrified, but this time, her eyes were filled with desperate longing and sadness, without a trace of fear.

"Nightmare?" He guessed, already knowing her answer.

"Yeah," She choked out.

"Wanna talk about it?" He secretly hoped she didn't. But hey, it seemed like the right thing to say.

"No."

Draco gave a little sigh of relief. Being of the male species, he would never pretend to understand the inner workings of a female's mind. They could get set off the slightest comment, and he absolutely abhorred tears. He supposed it worked the other way around as well, with females not understanding how a man's mind worked. He was saved when the two heard pounding footsteps running hurriedly towards Hermione's room.

Kili burst into her chambers out of breath, "The men of Laketown have arrived!"

Draco's eyebrows raised in surprise. What did Bard want?

Hermione gulped down the tears that had sprung into her eyes the second she saw Kili. Draco hovered hesitantly over her as she slipped her trainers on and shakily made her way over to Kili. Kili shot Draco a harsh glance and placed his hand almost possessively on the small of Hermione's back.

_Ah…so that's what it was. _Draco grimaced to himself, what did Kili think he was doing with Hermione in the dead of night in her bedroom? He held up his hands in surrender, _She's all yours_, he mouthed to Kili. Hermione tapped her foot impatiently on the ground, if she noticed their little exchange she made no mention of it as the three swept out of her room.

The torches lit by the men burned bright as they gathered at the front gates of Erebor. Thorin marched out angrily and confronted Bard who led the group of men. Draco squinted his eyes and his heart jolted when he made out the silhouettes of the slight elves. He tried but failed miserably to control his erratically beating heart.

_Tauriel…could she be with those elves right now?_ He realized that he didn't even know where she was planning on going. She had deliberately disobeyed her king, was not welcome amongst the dwarves, and was an outsider to the men. The only place she could hope to go to was back to Mirkwood and plead for Thranduil's forgiveness. Draco wished she wouldn't. That arrogant king didn't deserve her.

Draco recognized Bard who strode up to the front of the crowd when the gates of Erebor swung open and Thorin stormed out angrily.

"What is the meaning of all this?" He growled.

"I have come to collect the treasure you promised us." Bard proclaimed.

"I have no interest in beggars." Thorin dismissed. He made to leave when Bard reached out and grabbed his shoulder. Thorin turned around angrily and wrenched his shoulder out of Bard's grasp.

"Do not forget that you promised the people of Esgaroth payment for our hospitality towards you and your company."

"I will not speak to you when you bring an army of men and a host of elves upon my door." Thorin stubbornly refused.

"It was I who killed Smaug the Terrible," Bard attempted to reason.

"And I did not ask you to." Thorin glowered.

"Laketown was razed to the ground. Will you not compensate us for the sorrow and distress caused by the dragon?" Bard questioned.

"I wonder if the dragon had killed my company, and you burst into Erebor like the thieves you are, if you would have aided _my_ kin, and compensated for _their_ losses?" Thorin fumed.

"But you are not dead." Bard pointed out. "And you remain the rightful heir to Erebor. My question is the same: will you provide us with the funds necessary to rebuild our town as well as the treasure you promised?"

"I will not speak of this when you have brought an army of men and elves onto my doorstep." Thorin declared and swept back into Erebor, closing the massive stone doors behind him.

Draco was in shock. He may have been mostly delirious while they were in Laketown, but he remembered Hermione specifically telling him that Thorin had indeed promised the people of the town a share of the treasure. And now, the great King Under the Mountain was going back on his own word.

He glanced over at Hermione who watched the scene with her lips pressed tightly into a thin line. There was a flurry of movement and the two turned to observe Kili storm back into Erebor towards his uncle.

"Thorin, what were you doing?" Kili glared.

His brother agreed with him, "Indeed, uncle, you did promise those poor people a share of our treasure."

"Be quiet." Thorin snapped. "I will not discuss their so called treasure when he has brought an army with him. As long as those men and elves remain, I will not negotiate any terms regarding the treasure."

"But-" Fili tried to reason.

"Enough. Do not speak of what you two do not understand." Thorin growled.

"Well, maybe you aren't always right," Draco drawled.

Thorin turned his fierce glare on Draco who, despite his superior height, shrunk back. However, Thorin's eyes were not the same cold steel grey eyes they used to be. Instead, his eyes glinted with a fire of madness, lust, and greed, for one jewel. A jewel that had a history in his own family of driving people insane, and Thorin was going the same way his grandfather and father went.

"Do not rest until you have found the Arkenstone." And with that he strode out of the room and back to his mountain of gold.

The men and elves stayed camped outside of Erebor for the next few days. While inside Erebor, every dwarf, man, and hobbit was searching far and wide for the Arkenstone. Draco found himself spending more and more time with Bilbo, seeing as Hermione spent most, if not all her time, with Kili.

Draco didn't blame her of course, he knew how it felt to be separated from one you loved. He felt that ache and longing to just see Tauriel one more time everyday he woke up to the time he fell asleep. And when he fell asleep, his dreams were filled with soothing elvish words and flaming red hair.

But because he was unable to even catch a glimpse of the beautiful elf, Draco found himself sifting through the gold next to Bilbo. Bilbo was a quiet soul, Draco found himself constantly prompting Bilbo for conversation. Over the course of a couple of days, though, Bilbo began warming up to Draco and told him stories of what it was like to live in a cozy hole under a hill.

But on this particular day, Draco noticed that something about Bilbo was off. He kept glancing around cautiously as if someone, most likely Thorin, would jump out of the pile of gold and stab him.

"What's up?" Draco asked finally when Bilbo cast another furtive glance behind his shoulder.

Bilbo gave a little jump and stuttered, "N-Nothing."

"Liar," Draco told him immediately. "Tell me what's wrong. I swear to Merlin I won't tell Thorin."

"How did you-?" Bilbo stared up at him. "How did you know I didn't want Thorin finding out."

"Aha!" Draco crowed winningly. "There is something you're hiding. Go one then, spit it out."

"Well…the thing is…you know how we're supposed to be searching for the Arkenstone? Well…it's not in this pile. Or any other pile for that matter." Bilbo hesitantly told Draco.

"How do you know?" Draco asked with raised eyebrows.

"Because it's in my pocket." Bilbo said simply and Draco's entire demeanor changed. He leaned forward slightly and squatted down.

"You have it?" He breathed.

"Yes," Bilbo reached into his pocket and pulled out a jewel bigger than his hands.

"Sweet Merlin, " Draco's eyes widened as he appraised the Arkenstone. It's many facts shone with their own small lights. The jewel twinkled and cast lights that danced and reflected on the piles of gold.

"I just have this feeling not to give it to Thorin quite yet. I don't think he's quite…in the right head now." Bilbo admitted.

"I agree." Draco nodded thoughtfully. "We need to give it to someone who can use it as a bargaining chip to snap Thorin out of his gold sickness."

"Bard!" Bilbo suggested brightly.

"Yes," Draco hissed. "And he can use it as a bargaining chip to get Thorin to share the treasure. Brilliant!"

"Where in Aule's name did you learn cunning like that?" Bilbo wondered.

"I was raised to manipulate and control like so." Draco answered briskly. "It's almost like a rite of passage in my family. Manipulate someone and welcome into the Malfoy family."

"Oh," Bilbo looked down, not quite sure how to respond.

"Anyways, you'll need help getting the stone to Bard." Draco continued.

"Er-yes. I was thinking about that…I could use my magic ring and sneak past the guards…" He pulled out the little gold ring from his pocket.

Draco had noticed how Hermione showed a special aversion towards the ring. He bent down closer to examine it, and a small voice began to whisper in his head. Promises of riches and fame, but that didn't bother him, back on Earth he was a Malfoy, so naturally very rich, and fame only drew attention on you. Attention you didn't need. Promises of power, but this also had no effect on him, look where power got dear old Tom Riddle.

The little voice hissed frustratingly and chanted other treasures that it would bring to Draco. _A home…I will give you peace. _Draco's eyes widened as these words reached down into his soul tugged at his heart. Yes, he wanted a home. _I can give you that and so much more! _The voice whispered eagerly. _Just take me and put me on! _Draco reached out a pale hand, but before he could wrap his long fingers around the ring, which was now crowing triumphantly in his ear, a sharp smack on his head cleared his vision and the voice stuttered.

"Don't you dare, Malfoy," Hermione was standing in front of him and had her hand raised threateningly.

"Don't tell me what to do, Mudblood," He snarled and turned around, searching for the ring.

Hermione took a step back, "What?"

"You heard me," he sneered in a dark voice. "Give me the ring!"

"Why is it affecting you like this now?" Hermione wailed. "It didn't before."

"You never let me see it before! You've been keeping it to yourself! You're so selfish!" he roared, his conscience wondered in the back of his mind why he was so furious, he pushed it away and turned his thunderous look back towards Bilbo, who cowered behind Hermione, clutching the ring.

_Come to me, _it beckoned. He stepped forward, and suddenly found a wand pointed in between his eyes. "Don't call me that!" Hermione growled.

"What, Mudblood?" He spat.

"I am _not _selfish!" She insisted.

"You are, and you bloody well know it!" He accused. "Who was it that abandoned her friends at a time they needed her most, and escaped with her own hide?"

"I had no choice!" She screeched. "You! You told me to find a way to save us!"

"I thought that being a Gryffindor, you would come up with a bloody magnificent spell to blow Voldemort to bits! Never expected you to turn so Slytherin and run away!"

She recoiled as if he had slapped her. "Viverra Verto!" She screamed and once again the world gave a familiar spin and where a once angry Malfoy stood, only crouched a pale ferret.

The simple mind of the ferret allowed him to forget what he was arguing with Granger with. He stared up at her, but she turned away and quickly urged a shell-shocked Bilbo to put the ring away. She had her face steeled in a resolute expression, but the ferret noticed how she refused to look at or touch the little gold ring. He could smell the fear and distress that rolled off her in waves. After she made sure the ring was safely stowed away out of sight, she waved her wand and transfigured Draco back into a human.

Draco sprawled on the ground, breathing heavily. His head spun, what just happened. All he could remember was waves of irrational fury and longing for…something. But the voice in his head had vanished and all that was left of his angry episode was a terrified Bilbo and a pained Hermione.

Struggling against his sore legs and pride, Draco pushed himself up and stared awkwardly down at the two. "Sorry," he mumbled.

Hermione only glared at him before stowing her wand away.

"Right-er-Bilbo, back to getting the Arkenstone to Bard," He diverted the attention to the only solid memory he had of his previous conversation.

"We can cast a Disillusionment Charm on him, and one of us can offer to take watch tonight to help him escape, while the other goes with him to ensure his safety." Hermione answered for Bilbo briskly.

"Got it," Draco nodded, "I can do that."

"See to it that you don't get…distracted again," Hermione narrowed her eyes.

"I won't, I won't!" He raised his hands in surrender. "I have no idea what happened there, honestly."

He was hoping that Hermione would give him some answers but apparently that was too much to hope for, before she pulled Bilbo away, leaving Draco standing confusedly amidst the pile of gold.

That night, Draco sat leaning against the cold walls of Erebor, staring up at the clear night sky. The stars twinkly merrily down at him, and he remembered that night he spent entirely talking to Tauriel. How he wished he had a chance to speak with her now, for she might help him make sense of his intellectual thicket, and guide him on the right path.

Besides Tauriel, he wished that Gandalf were there. Although he felt a little awkward around the great wizard, he _had_ tried to kill him, he was one of Draco's last connections to Earth.

A soft pit pattering of steps echoed behind him and he turned to find Bilbo standing there nervously with Hermione behind him. Draco muttered the spell and tapped his wand on Bilbo's head and watched as he shivered and disappeared from sight.

"Right, now, you know the plan. Go in, and get to Bard immediately. Make sure you are clearly under a flag of truce and make sure Bard knows your true intentions before letting him know that you have the Arkenstone." Hermione warned them as she took her spot as guard.

"We know, Granger," Draco muttered, and waved the wand over his head. He shivered when the unpleasant feeling of an egg trickled down his neck and glanced down to see his hands blending into the landscape. "Let's go then, Bilbo."

The two crept as quietly as possible down the rock face and landed safely on the ground. They ran towards the encampment of men, and Draco paused, throwing out an arm to stop Bilbo. Bilbo ran straight into his arm and bounced back, but Draco had already caught him and quickly performed the counter-charm. Bilbo flickered back into sight and Draco charmed himself so he Bilbo could also see him.

Silently, Draco nodded towards the guards and the two approached him carefully.

"Who goes there?" The guard pointed his spear at the two.

"We come in peace," Draco threw his arms up. "We wish to speak with Bard."

"Very well, follow me," The guard regarded them suspiciously before turning and leading the two within the camp.

He pushed open a tent flap and gestured for the two to go in. Standing there was Bard who looked just the same as when Draco had left Laketown, albeit a couple scars and bruises.

"Go and summon King Thranduil," Bard nodded towards the guard before turning and facing Draco and Bilbo. "What do you want?"

"We are here to negotiate the terms of your aid to the Company of Thorin Oakenshield." Draco said formally.

"I was under the impression that Thorin did not want help." Bard narrowed his eyes.

"That is true, however an army of orcs march on Erebor at this moment, also seeking a share of the treasure." Bilbo continued. "A company of thirteen dwarves, two witches and wizards, and a hobbit are hardly any match for an army."

"I will not help Thorin if he refuses to give Esgaroth our rightful share of the treasure." Bard refused.

"There is something else," A voice said behind them. Draco spun around and his breath caught.

Standing there was Thranduil, looking regal and aristocratic, but he was not the reason Draco's eyes bugged out. Behind the Elven King of Mirkwood stood Tauriel. She met his eyes for a second before glancing away. Draco frowned, _ok_, so that maybe wasn't the reaction he was hoping for.

"The hobbit and this…man would not have come if they did not believe they stood a chance to gain our favors. Speak, and I might decide whether or not you are worthy of our aid."

"I need you to provide your armies, and strength to help us, the Company of Thorin Oakenshield and the dwarves of Erebor, protect the mountain from the invasion of orcs and goblins."

"Thorin surely did not agree to that," Bard pointed out.

"No, er-we snuck out." Bilbo stuttered.

"If you are unable to get him to see reason, then we will not either."

"Not if you didn't have the proper leverage," Draco cut in.

"And what type of leverage do you speak of?" Thranduil asked, his curiosity showing.

"There is something Thorin would trade the entire wealth of Erebor for, something he searches for, even now with great fervor. The Arkenstone."

And with that, Bilbo produced the glittering gem from his pocket. The eyes of all in the tent widened in shock as they basked in the beauty of the stone. "The contract stated that I was to be given my pick of one fourteenth of the treasure. It never specified what I could or couldn't take. I found the Arkenstone, and now choose for it to be my share of the treasure."

"This changes things," Bard murmured.

"Indeed," Thranduil agreed. "A bargaining chip. A very intelligent move on your part, Master Hobbit."

"It was Draco's idea, really," Bilbo blushed.

"Was it?" Thranduil turned his inquisitive gaze on Draco. "You have not told me who or what you even are yet. It somehow escaped my knowledge that we were holding, two I hear, children hostage." He said nothing about Tauriel but she hung her head a little in shame. So she did not inform the king that he was holding two human wizards in his prison.

"My name is Draco Malfoy, and I am not from Middle Earth. To make a long story short, there was a war in my home-world and Hermione and I were forced to come to Middle Earth." Draco summed up.

"How did you cross a company of dwarves then?" Thranduil questioned.

"Pure chance, really, although we did know Du-Gandalf already. He was known by another name in our world." Draco explained.

"I would inquire more, but it seems as if the sun if going to rise in a few moments. If your little endeavor is to go unnoticed, then I suggest you return to the mountain with haste."

Thranduil nodded for Tauriel to escort the pair to the edge of the camp. She walked ahead of them, her red hair swinging lightly with each step. Draco scurried up to her and she glanced at him.

"Hi," he greeted.

She snorted, rather un-elflike, and continued to walk.

"Hey! Wait!" Draco called after her. "I just want to talk!"

"There is not much to talk about." She pointed out.

"I missed you," Draco whined childishly.

"I missed you too, _Melamin_," she murmured. "But there is a battle on the way, and as the newly reinstated Captain of the Guard I must guard the King's life with my own."

They had reached the border of the camp. "I'll find you in the battle!" Draco called to her. "Protect you and stuff."

"Have you not yet learned that I do not need protecting?" Her eyes glimmered with mirth. "Go now."

Draco bent forward and crashed his lips on hers. He closed his eyes and tried to memorize every aspect of her being. The kiss was all too short again as she lightly pushed him away. He sighed and turned around, gesturing to Bilbo who was standing to the side awkwardly to follow, and with one last glance, the two snuck back towards the Lonely Mountain.

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**A/N: Just type your thoughts in that little box at the bottom and click "Review"! Thanks!**


	21. And So It Begins

**A/N: Disclaimer: Everything you recognize does not belong to me!**

**Please please please read and REVIEW! **

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The soft tapping echoed loudly in the throne room. Hermione was nervous. Where was Bilbo and Draco? Thorin was calling a meeting in the throne room and the two really ought to have been back by now. Trumpets sounded off in the distance, alerting Thorin to the arrival of Bard.

"Hail, Thorin!" Bard greeted. "Are you still of the same mind?"

Draco slipped quietly into place next to Hermione. She glanced quickly at him, and noticed that he was a little nervous as well. Well…they had betrayed Thorin. But it was for the greater good. Hermione snorted in amusement. She sounded like Dumbledore.

"My mind does not change." Thorin sneered. "Your host of men and elves have not yet left, so I will not bargain with you."

"Is there then nothing for which you would yield any of your gold?" Bard questioned. Hermione's heart sped up.

"Nothing that you or your friends have to offer." Thorin confirmed.

"What of the Arkenstone of Thrain?"

Hermione held her breath as they opened the casket they carried and the bright white light of the Arkenstone danced across the dumbstruck faces of the Company.

Thorin seemed to have lost all ability of speech as he stared in disbelief at the jewel that Bard now held. The entire hall was shocked into silence.

"That stone was my father's and is mine," he snarled with barely concealed fury. "Why should I purchase my own?"

Before anyone could say a word, for most of the dwarves were still staring dumbly at the glittering jewel, Thorin asked again. "How did you come by this heirloom of my house?"

"We did not steal it." Bard insisted.

"How did you come by it?" Thorin thundered.

"I-I gave it to them!" Bilbo squeaked and Hermione's heart picked up its pace a hundredfold.

"You! You!" Thorin shouted. He made to grab Bilbo but Draco quickly stepped in between them.

"I helped him. It was my idea, and mine alone." He said smoothly.

Thorin's face reddened. "You miserable hobbit! You cursed wizard! Who else had a hand in this treachery?!" His maddened eyes darted around the room before they landed on Hermione's pale face.

Hermione shakily opened her mouth to confess but Draco silenced her with a glare. "No one!" he insisted.

"Where is Gandalf?" Thorin fumed. "Curse that wizard for choosing you to accompany us on this quest! Curse him for allowing his wizard pupils on this journey! May his beard wither! As for you two I will throw you to the rocks!"

Thorin grabbed Bilbo by the collar of his shirt and made to toss him onto the jagged rocks below.

"Stay! Your wish is granted!" A booming voice said from the entrance of the hall. Hermione let out her breath in a whoosh. It was Gandalf. "Do not harm my student or my burglar. You may want to hear what they say first."

"You are all in the same league!" Accused Thorin. "Never again will I have dealings with any wizard or his friends. What have you to say, you descendants of rats?"

"We only took the one fourteenth share that was promised us in the contract. I chose my share, and dispensed it how I pleased, take it like that and let it go." Bilbo said.

"I will let you two go. May we never meet again." Thorin replied. "I am betrayed. I will give you one-fourteenth share of the gold for the Arkenstone. But the share will be these traitors'. You will leave and divide it was you like. Take them if you wish them to live for no friendship of mine goes with them."

Bilbo scurried down to Gandalf, while Draco walked down proudly with his head raised. Hermione could not help but admire him. He turned around when he got to the bottom and winked up at her.

Hermione glanced nervously towards Thorin but he had already stormed off. She smiled worriedly down at Draco who tilted his head in farewell and strolled off with an extra spring in his step. Hermione bet Hufflepuff's Cup that he was whistling as well.

Shaking her head in disbelief she turned and walked back into the halls. Before she got very far, she was intercepted by a gruff looking Dwalin with a nervous Kili standing behind. "Thorin wishes to speak with you, lassie."

Dwalin grabbed her by the arm and dragged her to the chamber where Thorin would often converse with Balin and the other advisors.

"Sit." Thorin commanded her, and Hermione nervously sat down in the chair he pointed to. "Are you in the same conspiracy as that wizard and hobbit?"

Hermione swallowed hard. "…No." She lied.

"You had no knowledge of their plans to betray the Company?"

"…No."

"Very well. If it comes to my knowledge that you did, your fate will be a sad one indeed." Thorin threatened.

Hermione gulped. "Yes."

"Leave now."

Liar. Liar. Liar. Hermione chanted in her head as she walked briskly out of the interrogation room. She was a liar. And a coward. And selfish. And once again, leaving her friends while saving her own skin. _Liar._ Bloody hell, even a _Slytherin_ had more integrity than she did. She let out a little scream of anguish and ran her fingers through her bushy hair. Hermione began to run in the direction of her room as frustrated tears prickled her eyes. _Liar._

She was running so fast she didn't see where she was going before she ran straight into something hard and she bounced off, landing on her bum. "Oof!"

"Hermione!" It was Kili. No, did he know of her lies?

"Go away." She blubbered.

"Hermione, stop!" he commanded. She stopped. "What's up?"

Her lips twitched a little at his use of one of Earth's slurs. "The sky." She deadpanned.

Kili snorted. "That was the worst joke ever."

Hermione's lips twitched again, as he stood there with a silly expression on his face, staring down at her. She couldn't help it. A little burst of laughter escaped and Kili smiled.

"What is wrong?" He asked again.

"It's just Thorin sent them away." She whispered. Another lie. "How could he send them away? They were my friends!"

Kili sighed. "They were my friends as well. They still are. And I can see why they decided to betray uncle. But the way they went about it was wrong."

"It will save Thorin in the end. An army of orcs and goblins led by Azog the Defiler march on Erebor this very instant. We need the help of the men and elves." She insisted.

Kili's eyes narrowed a bit at her. "Thorin has sent for Dain Ironfoot, who will arrive any time now. They dwarves of the Iron Hills will help us."

"But they aren't enough!" Hermione burst out before covering her mouth quickly with her hand. "I-I mean…"

"I will not press you for answers." Kili held his hand up. "I do not wish to know the ways of a freaky witch."

Hermione giggled with relief. "Freaky, eh? What about you dwarves? Even I'm taller than you!"

Kili puffed out his chest. "What we lack in height, we make up in strength!"

Hermione grinned evilly and tickled him. He gasped and toppled right over. She laughed loudly and bent over double, clutching the stitch in her chest.

"That wasn't fair!" Kili protested and reached out his fingers to tickle her back.

"No!" she shrieked and tried to pry his fingers away from her sides.

"Kili! What in Durin's name are you doing?" Thorin thundered from the stairs.

"Nothing!" Kili immediately stood up and held out a hand to help Hermione up.

"What have I said about not interacting with the witch? Hasn't her _friend_ already proven himself untrustworthy and nothing more than a traitor? What's to say she isn't the same? I have half a mind to toss the harlot out so she can be with her _friends_." He spat.

Hermione wanted to recoil in hurt, but she forced her chin up and looked Thorin square in the eye. "Look, Thorin, I know we don't see eye to eye and I know you've had bad experiences with men and wizards. But what right does that give you to condemn me because of what I am? You, of all dwarves, should know what it is like to walk somewhere and know that people judge you and persecute you, not because of what you've done, but what you are."

"Throughout this entire quest, have I done anything that tells you that I cannot be trusted? Have I not aided your quest to the best of my ability already?" Hermione continued after taking a breath to steady herself. "I know Draco 'betrayed' you, but because you cannot see beyond your own desire you did not hear out his reasons for doing so! Even after everything we've been through, we still are trying to reclaim your mountain, redeem your people, and save _you_."

Thorin's face reddened, whether in anger or shame, Hermione couldn't tell. "And don't bloody call me a harlot." She finished.

"Very well." Thorin responded coolly. "Because you are of value to my nephews and the rest of the company, I will tolerate your presence amongst the halls of my grandfather. Do not take it for granted, and do not forget my previous words."

Hermione narrowed her eyes. Oh, she fully remembered his threats of throwing her out.

"Thorin!" Fili called out. "Uncle! Dain Ironfoot and the dwarves of the Iron Hills have arrived!"

Thorin gave one last distrusting glare before turning and rushing to greet his cousin.

The dwarves of the Iron Hills wore magnificent armor, crafted by the best dwarven smiths available. Their helmets gleamed in the sunlight as they marched towards Erebor with great speed. At the front was a dwarf that was clearly the leader. His beard was adorned with braids and beads, his ornate armor heavily decorated, and upon his feet were the trademark iron boots.

Hermione rushed to the balcony and observed as the dwarven army was confronted by Bard. They seemed to argue for a minute over something before Dain nodded and signaled for his army of five hundred dwarves to stop. Bard then stepped aside and allowed Dain to stride up to Erebor alone.

The giant doors scraped open for Dain, and Thorin enthusiastically greeted him before the two disappeared into a more private room along with Balin, Dwalin, and Gloin.

Kili went to his brother's side, and it looked like they were trying to appeal to Thorin to be let into the meeting, but Thorin only barked at them and they left dejectedly. Hermione ran down to meet them.

"There will be a battle soon," Kili told her.

"Way to state the obvious," Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Perhaps it would be…safer if you stayed away from battle." Fili finished.

Hermione stared blankly at them for a minute before protesting loudly. "No! Kili! You agreed with me."

"But-" He began.

"I can care perfectly well for myself, and you know that!" Hermione retorted hotly. "Nothing you say can sway my decision. Besides, I have a sword!"

She patted the heavy sword that rested on her hip.

"You don't know how to use it." Kili pointed out.

"I can't be that hard, can it?" Hermione wondered. "Just you know, block, parry, stab, and don't get stabbed yourself?"

"Not as simple as it sounds." Fili shook his head.

"Fine then, you can teach me." Hermione suggested.

"That is a good idea, brother," Fili said to Kili. "Right, I'll leave that up to you two then!"

Hermione watched in disbelief as he let go of the issue so quickly and just walked away.

"No time to lose then, eh?" Kili winked at her and unsheathed his sword.

Hermione copied him and using two hands, she pulled her own sword out of its scabbard.

"Hold it up like this," Kili raised his sword in front of him.

Hermione lifted the sword up. Kili continued to teach her the basic moves of both offense and defense, and soon, Hermione's arms began to shake in exhaustion. She tried not to show it though, but every time Kili would allow her a break, she quickly lowered her sword and flexed her aching arms. Her robes were soaked through with sweat as she eagerly gulped the water Kili offered her.

"You're tired," he observed.

"Obviously, Sherlock," Hermione sighed in exasperation.

"Who is Sherlock?" Kili questioned. Hermione only gave a tired laugh and closed her eyes. Before she knew it, she was asleep.

"Hermione, it's time to get up." Someone was gently shaking her shoulder. She rolled over and grunted in surprise as her arms completely failed her.

"Ow," she muttered. After a few seconds of orienting herself, she noticed Kili standing before her, half in all his battle armor already. "Oh."

"Battle time?" she asked.

"Battle time." He confirmed. "You know, if you're too tired from last night's training section, you could always stay behind."

"Kili, you sneaky Slytherin!" Hermione berated. "You purposely made me tired so I would back out."

"I did no such thing, are you thinking of backing out though?" He asked hopefully.

"Absolutely not." Hermione shook her head. "Besides, my arms are only a little sore."

"Hmm…" Kili pursed his lips. "Will you help me with my armor?"

"Sure," She nodded. She waved her wand and all the pieces of armor flew into place.

"Aw, I thought you would actually get off you're lazy bum and help me!" Kili whined. "Then it could have been a romantic moment and I would have swept you off your feet!"

Hermione snorted in the most unladylike fashion. "Oh, please, Kili. That would be way too cliché for me. Now get out as I change. And no, I don't need your help."

"As you wish, my lady." Kili bowed and winked before backing out of her room.

This was it. Hermione thought. Oh, Merlin. Okay, relax. _Relax._ Everything will be alright. Just keep a clear head and protect the three royal dwarves. Relax. But she couldn't. Her mind was constantly on the edge of flight mode and personal survival. She had to get over it. She had to.

Hermione shakily put on her armor that was given to her. A large breastplate and a helmet. She strapped the sword to her belt, made sure her wand was intact, and walked out nervously.

After swallowing down a bite of food that Kili made her eat, she found herself along with thirteen fully armored dwarves standing ready at the entrance of Erebor. The men and elves were positioning themselves as well. A dark line was approaching on the horizon and Hermione's throat clenched as she noticed the Pale Orc sitting on his white warg.

"Kili." She whispered hoarsely.

"Yeah?" He answered.

"I love you." She murmured, not caring just how cliché she was being.

"As I you." He replied.

Azog lifted his giant mace and yelled in orcish. The orcs shrieked loudly before thundering towards the three waiting armies.

"_Baruk Khaz__âd! Khaz__âd ai-m__ênu_!" Thorin cried. "Axes of the Dwarves! The Dwarves are upon you!"

The dwarves cheered and with loud yells they charged headlong onto the field to meet the orcs.

Hermione swallowed and gripped her wand tighter. With Kili beside her, her fears behind, and the enemy ahead; she charged. And so, the Battle of Five Armies began.

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**A/N: Click that little button at the bottom that says "Review" and let me know what you think!**


	22. One Last Attempt

**A/N: To justme~I read that melamin means "My love" in elvish, and I intended for Tauriel to call Draco "my love". Of course I may be wrong (definitely not going to claim expertise when it comes to elvish) but it did come up as that on the internet when I searched it...although it _is_ the internet so...Anyways-**

**Everything you recognize does not belong to me! Please share your thoughts on this chapter by leaving a review! Enjoy! Thanks!**

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"Impedimenta! Expelliarmus! Diffindo!" Draco was thrilled. Despite the fact that he was yet again fighting in another bloody war, he was immeasurably happy to have been reunited with Tauriel again.

_He had loped cheerfully after a sulking Bilbo, led by Gandalf, back into the elves' camp. There he had met up with Tauriel, and he was pleased when she cracked a rarely seen grin. He grinned back. _

_His joy was dampened a bit when he noticed the blonde haired elf prince emerge from the tent as well and stood beside Tauriel. No matter what Hermione insisted that Legolas was a good elf, and that he would be of great aid to Middle Earth, Draco couldn't help but be a little irked by him. This guy had spent centuries with Tauriel while Draco only had a few stolen moments. _

_Legolas had immediately briefed the new arrivals on the situation of the orcs and their whereabouts. Unfortunately, they were almost right on their doorstep. Draco was assigned along with Tauriel and Legolas to protect King Thranduil. They would be standing on the high ledges and shooting arrows (and in Draco's case: spells) down towards the oncoming orcs._

This had seemed like a pretty good plan, but the orcs were too many and they soon climbed up to where the elves were.

_Hex. Block. Duck. Curse. _The pattern was ever repeating. Draco blocked an arrow sent flying his way and quickly decapitated the offending orc.

Occasionally, he would glance over at Tauriel to make sure she was doing alright, but these looks were short lived. Once he cut down one orc, another would take its place.

Down below, he saw a flash of bushy brown hair and a flash of light, before all the orcs around Hermione would fall down, dazed. Then the dwarves would pick them off while they were still weak. Draco snorted, of course Hermione would know of some spell that did things he'd never even dreamed of.

Unbeknownst to her however, as she was busy engaging in a duel with an orc, another had snuck up on her and raised its sword above her head.

"Granger!" Draco bellowed.

She glanced up at him and her eyes widened in shock as she saw the giant orc astride a warg towering over her.

"Stupefy!" He cried out desperately and pointed his wand at the warg.

The warg toppled over when the beam of red light hit him. This shook Hermione out of her frozen stupor and she quickly disposed of the orc.

She shot him a grateful glance and continued to fight. Draco stunned a few more orcs that had tried to creep up on him. As the battle went on, Draco found that his limbs were slowing down, and his throat sore from shouting all those spells. His head felt twenty pounds heavier, and oh how he longed to just shut his eyes for a couple of seconds. Slowly, his arms and legs became sluggish, and because of that, he had acquired a few nicks and bruises along with his robes becoming completely torn.

In a moment of sheer stupidity, he had refused the armor offered to him and opted to go with no protection besides his already ripped robes_. Stupid, stupid, stupid._ He berated himself as he was thrown back a few feet by an orc who had rammed its body into him. His head snapped back and the world spun as stars danced across his vision.

The orc advanced on him, leering its disgusting teeth, before a purple spell hit it directly in the chest. It stared in shock at Draco for a moment before erupting in flames.

Hermione stood before him with wide eyes and she mouthed for him to get up. He willed his lethargic body to slowly heave himself off the dusty ground.

"_Rennervate_!" Hermione pointed her wand briefly at him and his head cleared up.

But clearing his head also made him aware of every cut and abrasion on his body. _Just small nicks_, he assured himself. He continued to fight.

There was a roar and a deafening clang. Draco looked up, startled, and his breath caught when he saw Thorin laying on the ground clasping his arm. Azog the Defiler stood above him with a satisfied smirk on his face. Twin shouts of rage distracted Azog from delivering the final blow to Thorin.

Two forms launched themselves towards Azog, and hovered protectively over their uncle's broken body.

"No!" Draco heard Hermione shriek as she started to run towards them.

"Hermione!" Draco called. Bloody hell that witch was going to get herself killed! She couldn't take on the bloody Pale Orc all on her own.

Before Draco could chase after her, the ground shook. An enormous black spider was sweeping through the masses of bodies and heading towards…Thranduil. Draco swallowed. He was charged to protect Thranduil at all costs.

Legolas was distracted by the giant orc he was fighting, and it didn't look like either would be emerging anytime soon. Draco glanced at Tauriel, and despite the terror for her life, his heart swelled in pride and admiration when he saw that she was fiercely battling five orcs, each easily twice her size. And that meant that the only one of the three charged to protect Thranduil that was currently unoccupied would be him.

_Bloody hell_, he swore as he began shoving his way towards the spider that seemed to only have eyes (eight of them) for Thranduil. Draco tried to shout to warn Thranduil but his voice was lost in the din of the battle. The spider crept steadily closer, its gleaming fangs bared.

At last Draco cut down the last orc in his path and dove towards Thranduil knocking him out of the way of the spider's deadly sharp stinger. The spider shrieked and reared up in fury.

Legolas turned around and stared in horror at the spider and his father laying on the ground. However his moment of distraction cost him dearly as the orc he was fighting landed a heavy blow, sending him flying. Tauriel tried in vain to shoot arrows at the advancing spider, but they all either missed or made no difference, as she too was already engaged in an intense fight.

"_Arania Exumai_!" Draco yelled, but the spell only angered the spider more.

It hissed at Draco and revealed its foot long fangs. Draco tripped over a dropped shield and tumbled to the ground. The spider now loomed directly over him. It made to drive its fangs into him, but Draco shouted one last spell in a last ditch attempt.

"_Avada Kedavra_!" The flash of green blinded him and his arm shook with the sheer force behind the spell. The spider gave one last screech before toppling directly on top of Draco.

And plunging its fangs into his stomach.

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**A/N: Dun...dun...dun... Leave a review with your thoughts! Thanks!**


	23. Her Final Stand

**A/N: Battle of Five Armies! How is Hermione going to make a difference and change the rather...unfortunate outcome from the books? Let me know what you all think!**

**Thank you to: FleurSuoh, Belieber Twihard, just me, Heather, Robin Winters, and J.D. Von Wolfe for your reviews to the previous chapter!**

**J.D. Von Wolfe: I haven't decided yet whether or not I want to take this story to Lord of the Rings...I don't know...maybe...It all depends on how this one turns out I guess!**

**Once again, I do not own LOTR, The Hobbit, Harry Potter, or anything else you recognize! Please read and REVIEW!**

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This was it. This was the moment that Hermione had been dreading. Azog loomed menacingly over the three hunched bodies on the ground. Thorin's eyes were closed and his face bloodied and scarred. Fili hovered protectively over Thorin, his eyes challenging the Pale Orc. And Kili. Kili stood directly in front of Azog, his sword lifted, ready to protect his uncle and brother no matter the cost.

And Hermione knew exactly what it would cost.

"No!" She shrieked, trying to get Azog's attention.

Kili's eyes flickered briefly towards her and his eyes widened in fear. He gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head before the giant mace came swinging at him.

Hermione screamed as his body flew out of Azog's way. She wordlessly shot a beam of purple light, which tore open Azog's pale flesh. Instead of crying out in pain like the spell should have made him, he only turned towards him with annoyance written across his face.

He leered at her before making his way towards his new challenger. Hermione's hands shook in fear, her body ached for her to run away and sleep away all her pain and misery. But her mind forced her to stay where she way.

Azog grunted something out in Black Speech before lunging towards her. Hermione jumped out of the way as his mace pounded into the ground where she had been standing a second ago.

"_Stupefy_!" She said shrilly, flicking her wand.

The jet of red light seemed to be absorbed by Azog's skin itself as it collided harmlessly with him.

Hermione swallowed.

Then she began an intricate dance with the Pale Orc, dodging his blows, firing jinxes, hexes, curses, anything that popped into her mind.

But she was too slow, Azog brought his mace down heavily, and Hermione rolled out of the way to avoid being impaled into the ground. She did not escape without injury, the mace caught her wand arm and sent her wand clattering down the ledge and onto the ground below.

Her arm stung. Hermione felt disoriented as she lay there on the ground trying to regain her strength. Her eyes fluttered shut as she was slowly giving in to the waves of defeat that tried so hard to drag her down, time after time. And by Merlin, she wanted to give in. She wanted it to just end.

The ground shook as Azog stepped closer to her broken form. The din of the battle seemed softer, further away. Hermione's tired eyes met Azog's bloodthirsty ones. His mouth twisted into a gruesome smile.

"Hermione!" Even Fili's voice seemed detached and far away. "Hermione, NO! Fight! FIGHT!"

That was what it took for Hermione to gather her remaining strength and unsheathe the heavy sword Kili gave to her. She knew that she was no match for the Pale Orc, but she also knew that she would die protecting the ones she loved. She would not run away. Azog curled his black lips over his teeth and snarled. With a loud yell he swung his mace towards her, fully expecting to be able to knock her over with one blow.

But something extraordinary happened. Hermione lifted the sword, just like Kili taught her, and blocked his blow. The impact caused her teeth to chatter and her arms to shake, but by some miracle, she was still standing.

Azog swung a second time, but once again, Hermione was able to successfully parry his attack. _He's only playing with me,_ Hermione realized. Her stubborn streak caused her to scream and swing her sword defiantly at him. The Pale Orc smirked and easily knocked her sword out of her grip.

Hermione watched in horror as her final attempt went soaring out of her hands and fell with a clang to the ground behind Azog. She swallowed and held her head high as he slowly advanced on her.

She glared into his black eyes that glinted maliciously as he raised his mace high over his head. Hermione grit her teeth and refused to look away as he brought his weapon down.

Suddenly, the tip of a sword protruded from Azog's stomach. His black eyes widened in surprise as he glanced down towards his wound. The sword was pulled out and a second later, the Pale Orc's head rolled off his body.

It fell with a heavy thud to the ground, and a moment later his body collapsed as well.

Hermione glanced up in shock at Fili who stood there with his face smeared with dust and blood. His sword was dripping with the blood of the Pale Orc.

Fighting the urge to vomit Hermione dragged herself to her feet and stumbled towards Kili who was lying on the ground, unmoving.

"No, no, no!" Hermione muttered, desperately holding his face in her hands. "Please, PLEASE!"

He remained still.

Hermione's eyes scanned him up and down in a frenzy, trying to find his wounds. His arm was broken and mangled beyond recognition and his head was sporting a large gash. She could still see the faint glimmer of the mithril beneath his armor.

"No, Kili!" She screamed, tears streaking down her cheeks. "Wh-Where's my wand?!"

Her shaking hands searched for her wand that was not on her.

"Kili, Kili! Wake up! Please, no! I saved you! Fili saved you!" Hermione pleaded.

Fili had also stumbled over and dropped to his knees when he saw Hermione cradling his lifeless brother.

"NO!" He cried.

Hermione pressed her head to his chest, frantically listening for the telltale _lub-dub _of his heart. Something. Anything that would let her know that she had not lost another loved one.

"Please." She whispered.

And it was then that she felt the weak beating of a heart.

"Fili." She whispered hoarsely. Her vision began to swim before her eyes. "No, Fili! Kili-"

She finally succumbed and fell into the welcoming arms of unconsciousness.

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**A/N: *Evil laugh* ...Will Kili survive? Will Hermione? And what of our dear Draco Malfoy? Please leave a review with your thoughts! Thanks!**


	24. How to Save a Life

**A/N: So, the last we heard of Draco, he had a spider plunge its fangs into his stomach...Please read and leave a review with what you think of this next installment!**

**As per usual, none of these characters belong to me! Thanks!**

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Tauriel felt on fire. She spun around and fired another arrow. It did not miss. She allowed herself a moment of satisfaction before unsheathing her twin silver daggers and driving them into another orc.

She chanced a glance towards her partners. Legolas was battling a giant orc, Bolg, Azog's son. And Draco was dueling as well, sending spells and curses hurtling in a colorful array. Sensing something approaching her from behind, she spun around and sunk an arrow into the neck of the orc.

Suddenly, there was a shriek of pain, she spun around and was nearly blinded by a flash of green light. It faded and there was the unmistakable sound of flesh being pierced and a grunt of pain. Draco.

She decapitated another advancing orc quickly and rushed towards the sound. Tauriel's heart nearly leapt out of her throat when she saw the spider. Trying not to panic, she managed to roll the spider off its victim. She uncovered a mass of blonde hair.

"Draco!" She called.

His eyes fluttered open at the sound of her voice. "T-Tauriel?"

"It is me, _melamin_," She dropped to her knees.

Her eyes scanned his body, and for the second time that day, her heart almost stopped.

His black robes were ripped and torn, and was quickly soaking with blood. His blood. The spider had plunged its lethal fangs directly into his stomach. She heard him gasp again in pain, his face scrunched up.

"No, no," She shook her head. He could not die like this.

She pressed her hands gently on his wound and began to chant. But the magic didn't work. The fangs had gone in too deep, and the poison was already in his blood stream.

Draco's eyes closed.

She clutched his face and continued to chant. Something wet dripped down her face. She wiped at her cheek in confusion. It was a tear.

She was crying, Tauriel realized. Her heart felt like shattering as she continued to stroke Draco's hair and chant in elvish. But without any healing herbs, it would do nothing.

His breathing became shallow and his cheeks became even more pale than usual. "I will not abandon you, my love." Love. She loved him. She realized it now, in the middle of this battle. Too late.

When the tears finally came, they refused to stop. The rolled off her cheeks and dripped onto Draco's bloody and dirty face. How was she to go on? She had seen what losing one's love did to an elf. Thranduil himself was the perfect example. After Legolas's mother was brutally injured, and sent to Valinor, Thranduil had pushed everyone away and had become the cold and unfeeling Elvenking. It had not killed him physically, but a part of him had indeed died.

_And I shall do the same._ Tauriel wept. She wept for Draco. She wept for her heart.

Without any warning, someone had grabbed Draco beneath his arms and was hauling him up. She gasped and glanced up, meeting the silver eyes of Legolas. He heaved Draco onto his shoulder and motioned for Tauriel to follow. She ran after him in a daze. It wasn't until after an orc attempted to attack Legolas and Draco, did she snap out of her trance.

Tauriel fought with more vigor than ever. She pulled out her bow and created a path through the fighting mass of orcs, goblins, men, and even elves. Anything to save Draco.

Somehow, the trio made their way to the encampment of elves and hurried into the healer's tent. Sounds of shock at Draco's mangled body were heard, but Tauriel paid them no attention as she helped Legolas gently lower Draco's body onto a cot.

Once he was set down, she was gently shouldered aside as the elven healers crowded around Draco. She heard them murmuring to each other as they surveyed his wounds.

Athelas was quickly being ground into a thick paste and pressed onto the gaping hole in his stomach. Clean white strips of linen were gently wrapped around his torso.

But after that, the healers stepped back.

Tauriel lifted her head in confusion. "What is happening?" She asked urgently. Surely they were not going to just bandage him and leave him?

"The wound was too deep." A healer explained soothingly. "I am afraid that we are unable to heal his wounds with magic without furthering the damage. We can only pray that his body will be able to heal itself."

Those words hit Tauriel like a ton of rocks. She collapsed at the foot of Draco's cot and stared helplessly at his pale form. A comforting hand was laid on her shoulder. Legolas. But even he could not make the pain go away.

She roughly shook his hand off her shoulder and reached forward to grasp Draco's hand. Legolas stood there for a second, shocked at her refusal, then strode out of the tent.

Dry sobs racked her body. Six hundred years of loneliness, grief, and pain attacked her. The Captain of the Guard, who was admired all around for her courage and strength broke down.

She heard the sound of hooves galloping away. Legolas. It was as if a sword had been wrenched in her soul. Draco, her love, was dying. Legolas, her best friend, had abandoned her.

So she sat there, for what felt like all eternity. Stroking Draco's blonde hair and listening to his shallow breathing. In reality, it was only few minutes.

"Be strong," She whispered.

Draco continued to fight Death with every small breath he took.

But suddenly, his hand slacked within hers and his breathing hitched. Tauriel's heart stopped as well. This was it.

At that moment, the tent flap flew open and Legolas strode in once more. He stood off to the side and held open the flap for another. A bright white light shone through and Tauriel blinked.

"Step aside, child," The light commanded.

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**A/N: Who has come to save Draco? Can he even be saved? Leave a review and let me know! Thanks!**


	25. The Golden Trio

**A/N: Hello to you all! I forgot to do this for the last chapter and will try to get better at doing this! **

**So, for chapter 23 thank you to: Heather, Robin Winters, just me, Guest, Belieber Twihard, KaMelody, and Embir for reviewing!**

**And for Chapter 24, thank you to: Heather, Guest, Robin Winters, Belieber Twihard, and just me!**

**Thank you to everyone who took the time to read me story! Keep the reviews coming! Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, Harry Potter, LOTR, The Hobbit, or anything else you recognize does not belong to me! Please read and review!**

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The bright light burned against her eyelids. Hermione blinked open her eyes, but quickly shut them again when they were met with glaring white light. She calmly lay there until the burning lessened and opened her eyes again.

She was lying on her back, on the ground, in some sort of white room. Hermione rolled over on her side and realized with a jolt that she was naked. She hastily pushed herself into a crouched position and wished for something, anything, to cover herself up with. The second she thought it, a bundle of fresh robes appeared.

_This must be like the Room of Requirement! _She thought excitedly. True to her nature, she was filled with the insatiable desire for knowledge about this place she was in. The ground beneath her was neither cold nor hot, and the room was clean, but not overly so like in a muggle hospital.

Suddenly, Hermione squinted as two dots of bright light began approaching her from a distance. As they drew nearer, she could make out two lanky figures loping towards her. She took a step closer and her heart began pounding furiously in her chest. She knew those two.

"Harry! Ron!" She squealed and threw herself at them.

Harry laughed and embraced her, his emerald eyes twinkling happily. Ron hugged her with so much enthusiasm he lifted her off her feet and spun her around. She clung to the two and stood there, weaving her fingers in their messy hair and breathing in their familiar scents. She never wanted to let go.

After what only felt like a few short seconds, the two stepped away and grinned down at her. Harry held her at arms length away and his smile widened even more if that was possible. Ron stood there, his icy blue eyes dancing with happiness. For another moment, the three best friends just stood there and drank each other in. Finally Harry sighed and dropped his arms to his side.

"You've been so brave, 'Mione." He said at last.

"Yeah," Ron nodded vehemently.

"Not as brave as you two," Hermione whispered. "Or any other member of D.A. I-I'm sorry. I was such a coward."

"Hey, hey, Hermione Granger, look at me." Ron took her face in his large freckly hands and forced her to meet his eyes. "You are brave. You're the last member to have survived. And running away? That just showed that you weren't an idiot."

"And we're all happy." Harry reassured her. "All of us; Ginny, Neville, Luna, everyone. We've been watching you too."

"H-How? Where are we? Do any other realms exist? What exactly did I do?" Hermione began listing all the things she didn't know. Things she _needed_ to know.

"Sometimes you just need to have faith, and the rest will follow." Harry said wisely.

"I can't wait to see the others again," Hermione admitted. "I've missed you guys so much."

"We've missed you too," Ron's smile faltered. "But you won't see them yet. You aren't dead."

"I-I'm not?" Hermione spluttered. "Then why am I talking to you? I _meant_ to die! What about Kili? Fili? Thorin? I sacrificed myself for them! Why am I still alive?"

"Bloody hell, Hermione, I told you this in First Year, and I still stand by it now. You really need to sort out your priorities."

This only succeeded in angering her even more. Her hair crackled with energy and her face was one of utmost fury. "Ronald, I am sorting my priorities, and yes, it is about time. For as long as I can remember, my priorities have always been gaining more knowledge and saving my own skin. But having friends like you guys, it really changed that. There's more to books and cleverness, like friendship and bravery. But some friend I am." She spat bitterly. "I left you all to die. That's not brave. So when I got to Middle Earth, it was my chance to prove that I could sort out my priorities and put what truly matters first."

After finally getting all of that pent up emotion out, Hermione felt empty. And finally, she began to cry. It started as one lone tear that trickled down her cheek, but they soon began to cascade down her face. Her body was racked with frightened sobs. Harry and Ron both pulled her in and let her cry into their robes. The trio just stood there and waited.

"So, you two aren't here to get me?" She sniffled.

"No," Harry smiled. "We came to send you back with more courage. You just need to believe in your bravery. Besides, there's still so much for you to do."

"Like what?" Hermione inquired.

"Malfoy," Harry smirked. "He's dying."

Hermione blinked in shock. "W-what? How?"

"Got his bloody stomach ripped apart and injected with spider venom trying to save that blonde Elf King." Ron snorted.

"He did that to save Thranduil?" Hermione questioned in disbelief.

"I would say more for his elven girlfriend." Harry winked.

"Tauriel! So he really does love her." Hermione smiled in satisfaction.

"He's not the only one to have found love," Harry raised his eyebrows pointedly at her.

Hermione blushed furiously. She glanced nervously at Ron, who only had a pensive look on his face.

"Kili's never left your side since you blacked out." Ron observed.

"He's alive?" Hermione's face flooded with relief. So she did save him.

"Yes, he and his brother are still alive, but Thorin didn't survive."

A lump filled in Hermione's throat. So the King Under the Mountain had died.

"You did your best." Harry reassured her.

"I know, it's just…" Hermione trailed off. She had ended on rather bad terms with Thorin, and now he would never know her true intentions on helping him and his family.

"It's not over yet. You're destiny still awaits." Harry said ominously.

"What about Earth? And V-Voldemort?" Hermione asked.

Harry and Ron's eyes turned sad. "Voldemort has been conquering every Wizarding community. We believe that once the entire Wizarding world has been conquered, he will then move on to destroying the Muggles."

"But isn't anyone doing anything? Surely the Muggles are noticing!" Hermione burst out angrily.

"Sure they are. But they're Muggles and don't have any magic. They don't stand a chance against Voldemort." Ron stated her fears.

"But when it's the right time, someone will save our world." Harry nodded.

"What?" Hermione asked in confusion. But the two were already beginning to fade into the bright light that began to consume them. "Wait! NO! Please don't leave me!" She begged.

The two hugged her one last time. "We've always been with you." Ron placed his hand on her heart. Tears tugged at Hermione's eyes.

"I love you all." She whispered. "Tell the rest for me, will you?"

"Of course." Harry grinned. "And we all love you too. Be brave and have hope, Hermione. And most of all: believe."

Her world became blurry as the two disappeared. Hermione fell to the ground and closed her eyes.

* * *

Hermione's head was pounding. She groggily sat up and rubbed her eyes, trying to gain her bearings. She seemed to be in some sort of tent. Her hand scratched against something prickly. She looked down in surprise and saw Kili sleeping with his head resting on their clasped hands. Smiling softly, Hermione ran her fingers through his dark hair.

There was a movement to her side and Hermione turned around to see Lady Galadriel and Lord Elrond bent over someone. Shakily, she slipped out of bed and padded over to where the two were gathered. Hermione heard a faint murmuring coming from them and she was surprised to see the two chanting and singing hypnotically in Elvish.

It was beautiful. Hermione wanted to stand there forever and let their soothing words wash over her ears and take her worries away. But the two stopped all too soon. Hermione's head cleared as the two retreated from the bedside. It was Draco.

Seeing him lying there, pale and lifeless, brought Hermione crashing back to reality. He was dying. Harry and Ron had told her themselves. By his side, Tauriel was sitting there stroking his hand and murmuring words to him.

Hermione turned towards Lady Galadriel, "Please," She whispered. "Please tell me he will be okay."

"I am sorry, my child, but his injuries go beyond the help of either myself or Lord Elrond. We have put him under a sleeping spell to help ease his pain. But there is nothing we can do." Galadriel said gently.

A choking, sobbing noise was heard behind them. Tauriel had broken down completely and was clutching Draco, tears running down her cheeks. Her shoulders shook as she cried.

"Please!" Hermione begged. "He's a good person. He really is! He…he was trying to redeem himself by protecting Thranduil. He doesn't deserve this!"

"Many people do not deserve to die, but this is a war and death is inevitable." Lord Elrond said.

A tear trickled from Hermione's eye.

Lady Galadriel bent down and wiped the tear from her eye. "Do not fret, Child. I said it was not in my power to heal him, but there is one who can. He created this entire world: elves, men, and every creature to roam these lands. And the arrival of two new humans, a witch and a wizard, have caught His attention. Because there is so much pure love for Draco Malfoy and from Draco Malfoy, He shall grant him the highest honor one can receive. Passage to the Undying Lands. There, Draco shall heal, and there he shall live."

Hermione's brain was whirring, trying to process this new information. The Undying Lands? Valinor? "Thank you." She finally breathed.

Tauriel looked up, her face shining with hope.

"But you must hurry," Elrond said. "Master Malfoy is still dying as we speak."

"I need to take him with me to the Grey Havens, right?" Hermione asked. "May I apparate there?"

Lady Galadriel smiled. "Yes, Hermione, you may."

Hermione let out a whoosh of air in relief.

"First let me wake him," Galadriel waved her hand over Draco's face.

His silver eyes snapped open as he gasped in pain.

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**A/N: Poor Draco, he sure gets injured a lot on this journey... Please leave a review at the bottom! They really make my day! Thanks!**


	26. Please Don't Leave Me

**A/N: Thank you to: chocolate and vanilla swirls, Belieber Twihard, just me, Robin Winters, Heather, Guest, and Pixi for reviewing Chapter 25! **

**And thank you to everyone who took the time to read my story! I appreciate you guys so much!**

**Any who, Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the Hobbit! Please read and REVIEW!**

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He awoke to Tauriel's beaming face. Her beautiful green eyes met his and her lips twitched up into a smile. But beneath the smile, Draco could sense that there was something wrong. He opened his mouth to ask, when a shock of pain rushed through his body.

Suddenly, he could feel every cell of his body screaming out in misery. Draco let out a grunt and squeezed his eyes shut, as if he could shut all the agony out. Cool soothing hands reached out and stroked his cheek, coaxing his eyes back open. Tears were glistening in Tauriel's eyes and threatening to spill over. A single tear rolled down her cheek, and ignoring the protests of his wounds, he wiped her tear away.

"I…I thought you…said that elves…don't cry?" Draco managed to get out.

Tauriel rolled her eyes and let out a mix between a sob and a laugh. "You foolish, foolish _mortal_ man. Why would you throw away your life so easily?"

Before he could answer, a high-pitched squeal erupted from the side of the tent. It was Hermione. And she was clinging onto Kili like there was no tomorrow. _Well,_ Draco winced, _tomorrow wasn't exactly guaranteed for them based on their life style anyways._

But Draco couldn't help the small smile that crept onto his face watching the two of them. Their love for each other was so…true. Slender fingers gripped his hand beneath the sheets. Draco glanced at Tauriel and squeezed her hand, he didn't plan on letting go.

"Oh, Draco, I was so worried!" Hermione breathed when she finally let go of Kili.

"It is good to see you awake, Brother," Kili acknowledged.

_Brother. _Being a single child raised in the Pureblood society, he had never had much experience with family. Familial love was not stressed. Money. Power. Blood. They always came first. Besides, he got all the love he needed from his mother, and for him, that was enough. But here, in this tent in the midst of a battle, he finally understood the bonds of brotherhood. Draco was deeply touched, no matter how loathe he was to admit it, by Kili's simple sentence.

"We should go." Hermione cast a troubled glance at him when he moaned again in pain. His entire face was covered by a sheen of sweat as he clenched his teeth, trying not to truly reveal how much it hurt.

"Where?" he grunted.

"The Gray Havens." Was her only reply.

"I will accompany you to the Gray Havens as well," Kili placed an arm around Hermione's waist. When she opened her mouth to protest, he said, "To give my best regards to Master Malfoy, of course."

"Fine." She rolled her eyes, unable to prevent the smile that crept onto her face.

Hermione held out her hand towards Draco and he grasped it, questions burning in his eyes as to where they were going.

"You bloody well…be careful…Granger. Injured here." He grimaced.

"Don't worry." She smiled and held out her other hand towards Tauriel and Kili. When they had both firmly grasped her hands, she twisted on the spot and they disappeared with a _crack_.

They reappeared seconds later after suffocating darkness and Draco immediately collapsed, gasping desperately for air. Unable to hold it in this time, Draco screamed in pain.

Immediately, Hermione swooped down on him and inspected his wound. His robes were darkening as the blood seeped through the fabric. Tauriel let out a little cry of anguish and took his face in her hands, begging for him to stay awake. Draco forced his fluttering eyelids open.

But both Tauriel and Hermione had shrunk back, and a new woman replaced them in his line of vision. She was beautiful, almost too beautiful. Her long golden hair fell down to her waist. Her ivory skin glowed with light. She had deep, penetrating blue eyes that seemed to x-ray his every thought. Her pointed ears poked out from under her hair.

"Draco Malfoy. My name is Lady Galadriel. You have acquired injuries that are even beyond my power to heal, and were you a normal man, I am afraid you would not have been given this chance to live. But because you have truly embraced the idea of diversity that was stamped out of you as a child, learned of love and friendship, and the bonds of fellowship, the elves now grant you the highest honor. For aiding Thorin Oakenshield and his quest to reclaim Erebor and to set right the wrongs of the dragon Smaug, you are offered the chance to sail to a new land. In this land, you will live forever in peace."

Draco felt his eyelids begin to droop as he tried so hard to process what Lady Galadriel was saying. _Undying Lands? Forever? Peace? _Another man, whom Draco hazily recognized as Lord Elrond, stepped forward.

"It is time."

Kili stood in front of him and gently clasped his shoulder. "It was an honor to have known you. The Company is forever grateful."

Draco nodded his head in understanding.

Hermione hugged him tightly, but recoiled quickly when he let out a hiss of pain. "Oh Draco," she sniffed. "If someone had told me a few months ago that I would be here, crying over you, I would definitely have told them to go see a healer in St. Mungo's Mental Ward, but-"

"Yeah…you and me…both, Granger." He grunted.

She let out a watery chuckle, "But you are the bravest, most chivalrous Slytherin I have had the honor to know."

Draco blanched jokingly, "Old Abraxas Malfoy must be…rolling in his grave…hearing you call a…Malfoy that."

Hermione smiled a little as another tear splashed down her cheek. She suddenly leaned forward and placed a kiss on his blonde hair.

Draco let out a pained chuckle, "I knew you…couldn't resist me."

Hermione huffed. "Goodbye, Ferret."

"See you in forever, Granger." He smiled back.

Draco caught Tauriel's eye over Hermione's shoulder. She stepped forward and held his hand. Draco felt as if a fresh wound had been opened in his heart. He unconsciously felt a tear prick his eyes, and coughed to hide it.

Draco opened his mouth to say something, anything, but his throat had clogged up. "Please come with me." He managed to choke out.

"I cannot. My duty is to be the Captain of the Guard."

Draco's heart plummeted as he heard her words. But she couldn't just leave him to go to these…Undying Lands…and spend forever without her. He would rather die.

"No, if you won't come, then I won't go." He refused stubbornly.

"You must," Tauriel said imploringly.

"Not without you." Draco resisted.

Without warning, Tauriel had leaned forward and pressed her lips solidly on his. Unable to resist her, he began to kiss her back, pouring all his love for her into their kisses.

"You must go now." Tauriel pulled back and stared sadly into his eyes.

Lady Galadriel held out her hand to him, and Draco took it hesitantly. With every step he took closer to the waiting ship, the more revived he felt. When he got to the wooden plank at the edge of the docks, he turned around one last time.

Kili had his arm wrapped around Hermione's waist again, and she rested her head on his shoulders, letting the tears soak into his shirt. Tauriel stood there as well, her shoulders heaving with silent sobs, when Hermione reached out and held her hand comfortingly.

Draco turned back towards the ship and after taking a few deep breaths, stepped onto the boat. Ready for one last adventure.

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**A/N: Awww...this was sad to write. I hoped you guys enjoyed reading it! Please leave a review and let me know what you think!**


	27. To Say Goodbye

**A/N: Thank you to~Booker10, Belieber Twihard, Robin Winters, Heather, FleurSuoh, Pixi, and just me!**

**I really appreciate all of your reviews and support! Keep the reviews coming please! And thank you to all who took the time to read my story!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the Hobbit! Please read and REVIEW!**

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Hermione turned and buried her face in the crook of Kili's neck. Her salty tears splattered onto his skin, but he showed no sign of caring. Kili wrapped his arm around her waist tightly and held her close.

The group: three elves, a dwarf, and a human watched with heavy hearts as their companion slowly made his way onto the boat. Soft sobbing could be heard to Hermione's right: Tauriel. Hermione reached out and grasped Tauriel's hand and held it comfortingly.

"Tauriel, Captain of the Guard." Lord Elrond approached the crying elf.

Hermione could tell that Tauriel was struggling to conceal her broken heart from Elrond.

"Why did you choose to stay behind and not follow Master Malfoy?" he asked with piercing eyes.

"It is my duty to stay and be the Captain of the Guard and protect King Thranduil. I owe him a great debt for rescuing me as an elfling and raising me, regardless of the fact that I am but a lowly Silvan elf." She said with a firm voice, although her eyes betrayed her true sadness.

"I do not believe even King Thranduil of the Mirkwood Realm would begrudge you this chance at love. Elves only fall in love once, and you love Master Malfoy, do you not?" Galadriel now stood beside Elrond and gazed at Tauriel.

"I-I do." Tauriel looked surprised at herself for admitting to this out loud. "What shall I do, Lady Galadriel?"

"Perhaps it is time for you to follow your heart, rather than your duty." Galadriel smiled. "Go."

Tauriel blinked, trying to digest her words. Hermione squeezed her hand reassuringly. Suddenly, it clicked. Raw joy overtook the grief in Tauriel's eyes. She turned towards Hermione and pulled the surprised human into a tight embrace.

"Thank you, _mellon_." She whispered.

"G'bye, Tauriel." Hermione's throat felt clogged up again.

She did not have as much time as she would have liked with this beautiful elf in front of her. She knew that they would have been great friends. Their fiery personalities matched each other, as did their strong opinions of the world around them.

Hermione would always admire the strength Tauriel had to follow her duty, no matter the cost. That although Tauriel was immortal in Middle Earth, she still cared about the world and fate of other creatures.

After Tauriel pulled away, she bowed respectfully towards Galadriel and Elrond and began to walk towards the great ship.

The sun was just beginning to set on the horizon and its fiery golden rays illuminated Tauriel's hair, making it look as if someone had lit it on fire.

They heard a whoop of laughter as Draco turned and realized who would be accompanying him on his final journey. Hermione watched their silhouettes as Draco picked Tauriel up and spun her around. She couldn't help it: she laughed.

Kili cast her a frightened glance, which only caused her to laugh harder. The full-bellied laughs racked her small figure and replaced her tears of grief with those of joy. She turned towards Kili and kissed him full and hard on the mouth. He reacted so enthusiastically that he picked her up off the ground. Hermione wrapped her legs around his waist and poured everything she could into that kiss.

It wasn't until the world finally stopped spinning and her feet were planted firmly on the ground did she realize that Lady Galadriel was still standing there. Her cheeks erupted into flames as she noted with horror that Galadriel had witnessed her entire snog with Kili.

And to her surprise, Galadriel began to laugh as well. "Do not fret, Lady Hermione. I am not here to chastise you about your actions. Quite the opposite. You see, while Master Malfoy's presence in this world was seen and felt by many, yours was the most intriguing.

You came as a girl with so much weight and responsibility on your shoulders, yet you still agreed readily to accompany Thorin Oakenshield and his company on dwarves on a quest, while you could have easily chosen to lead a simple yet peaceful life.

You fell in love, and while you surely already knew of the outcome of such a love, continued to fight for it.

You do indeed have the mind of the eagle, the loyalty of a badger, the ambition of a snake, but most of all the bravery of a lion."

Hermione's eyes had misted as Galadriel spoke.

"Really, I wasn't all that brave. I-I did what had to be done. I was such a coward before I came here…I just wanted to change that." She denied truthfully.

"Hush, Child. Your heart and mind have always held the purest and truest intentions. It was fated that you should arrive and purge this world of a great threat. But I believe your destiny is greater yet." She finished ominously.

"Wh-What do you mean?" Hermione asked, bewildered.

"Only time will tell." Lady Galadriel finished, and when Hermione blinked, she was gone.

"Do not worry your pretty little head over that." Kili murmured into her hair. "All elves are full of tosh like that."

Still shaking, Hermione nodded and held his hand tightly before spinning on the spot and apparating them back to the Lonely Mountain. Back to their home.

~The End~

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**A/N: *Sniff sniff* Almost to the end of the story! I just have the epilogue left and that's it! Should I write a sequel? Please let me know your thoughts by leaving a review! Thanks!**


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